Chapter Two: Comes Great Responsibility

The following day found everyone gathered together at the Hale house, which was full of music and laughter.

The only person who wasn't laughing, however, was Lyra. She was sitting on the floor by the couch, her expression contoured into a wince.

"Ow," she said again when Lydia gave her hair another yank.

"Shush," Lydia told her, rolling her green eyes. "I'm almost done."

"Remind me again how I was talked into this?" Lyra asked Allison, who sat on the other side of Lyra.

Allison gave her a sympathetic smile. "You were the one who said you wanted to do something new with your hair," she reminded Lyra.

Lyra hissed as Lydia pulled at the roots of her hair, which was being pulled back into a complex series of twists that left her hair into an artfully messy French braid that fell past her shoulders.

"Stop whining," Lydia said as she tied off the end. "There."

Lyra took the small compact mirror that Allison offered her. Her lips curved. "Okay, okay. You win. I look awesome."

Lydia smiled triumphantly. "Come on," she said before helping Lyra to her feet.

Both Lydia and Allison were wearing casual dresses thanks to the warm fall day, while Lyra wore a pair of cut offs and a faded Star Wars t-shirt that she had found at a thrift store.

Padding across the wooden floors barefoot, Lyra stopped Derek standing across the room, talking to a dark haired girl whose back was to Lyra. Lyra recognized her regardless, and made her way over.

"Cora," she said with a smile, moving to stand next to Derek while smiling at her sister in law. "I didn't know you were back in town."

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Cora replied, running a hand over her long hair, which was streaked with deep red undertones now.

Lyra also didn't miss the black ink that ran across and up Cora's left arm, like a series of swirling lines that converged on a triskelion tattoo that rested on her upper arm. "Where have you been?" Lyra asked, meeting Cora's dark gaze.

Cora shrugged, her eyes now roaming the room. "Here and there."

"Did the college plan pan out?"

"No. I guess sitting in a room at a desk for hours on end lost its appeal."

Lyra's eyes narrowed before she looked up to meet Derek's gaze. She flicked up her eyebrows at him then looked at his sister than back him pointedly.

Derek cleared his throat. "What have you been…doing?"

"Besides getting tattoos," Lyra interjected with a small smile.

Cora looked down briefly at the tattoo before looking at the same mark that was on Lyra's thigh. "You're one to talk."

"Cora," Derek all but sighed, giving his sister a patient look.

"Why am I getting the third degree?" Cora shot back, crossing her arms.

Then Lyra saw the glint of a bracelet of Cora's other wrist. It was rose gold with two charms glittering along the chain. "What's this?" Lyra asked, reaching out to touch it.

Cora jerked her arm away from Lyra, her eyes suddenly flashing gold.

Lyra felt her hackles raise unconsciously, and a growl rippled up her throat before she could stop it.

Suddenly the room grew quiet as the other supernatural creatures heard the Alpha's displeasure. Scott walked forward, looking between Lyra and Cora. "Everything okay?" he asked carefully.

Lyra's gaze was piercing as she watched the younger Hale sibling.

Derek was the one who broke the tension. He gentled pushed Lyra behind him and rested a hand on Cora's shoulder. "Yes, everything's fine," he said reassuringly.

Lyra took another step back for good measure. "Yeah. Fine."

Scott eyed her dubiously, clearly on edge still by her tense tone.

Suddenly, Stiles stumbled back into the room, looking around. "Why did the music stop?" he asked loudly, obviously confused.

Everyone else seemed to take a breath and went back to what they were doing, but not before they casted a final glance in Lyra's direction.

"Lyra," Derek murmured, turning and gently ushering her into the kitchen. His green eyes met hers.

"Don't give me that look," Lyra told him, irritation coloring her tone. She turned away to open up a cabinet and filled up a glass with water from the sink. She stiffened when she sensed Derek behind her.

"What happened in there?" he asked softly, running his hands over her shoulders.

Lyra huffed, but leaned back against him. "I don't know."

"Lyra."

"Don't Lyra me!" Lyra snapped, turning to look at him. "I don't."

Derek lifted his hands in a gesture of peace. "Okay. I believe you."

Lyra rubbed a hand across the back of her neck. "I should apologize."

"I didn't know you could," said a voice from the kitchen entry way. Cora leaned against the wall, eyebrow cocked.

Lyra exhaled deeply. "Cora…"

Cora waved her off. "Don't worry about it. I'm sorry too." Cora walked over and wrapped her arms around Lyra's waist.

Lyra closed her eyes briefly and put her arms around Cora, resting her chin on top of her head. When they pulled apart, Lyra tucked a reddish strand of hair behind Cora's shoulder. "So are you going to tell me who got you that bracelet?" she asked with a teasing smile.

Cora looked over at Derek, her cheeks turning pink.

Lyra's eyes widened. "Who is he? She"

Cora made a noise that sounded like a strangled laugh. "My lips are sealed."

Ooo0ooO

Later that day, Lyra sat with Cora out on the back porch. They each held a steaming cup of hot chocolate in their hands.

"I hear you're the deputy," Cora said, giving Lyra a sideways glance.

"Yep."

"And my brother really is a teacher now?"

"Yeah," Lyra said with an affectionate smile warming her features. "He's a nerd."

"Yeah, a nerd you married," Cora pointed out with a wry smile.

"Worth it," Lyra said, looking back over her shoulder to watch Derek as he stood in the other room talking to Melissa.

Then Cora sighed softly.

Lyra looked back and saw Cora fiddling with the bracelet. "They must be someone special."

"Yeah…"

"Did you meet them in Oregon?"

Cora shook her head. "Colorado."

Lyra's brow arched. "When were you in Colorado?"

"Few weeks ago. I wanted to see Isaac."

"He didn't tell me that."

Cora looked up, understanding Lyra's disbelief. "I asked him not to. I didn't want you guys to worry."

Lyra relaxed. "Are you going to tell me their name?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because…" Cora looked out towards the distant trees "I want them to be my secret for a little longer."

"All right," Lyra said calmly. "Well, when you're ready to spill…"

Cora laughed. "I know where to find you."

Lyra reached out and covered Cora's hand with her own. "And you're welcome to stay if you want. You always are."

"I know," Cora said, squeezing Lyra's hand. "Thank you."

An hour later, Cora left, leaving Derek and Lyra alone in the house. They ended up on their old couch, watching TV together. Derek had his hand on Lyra's thigh, absently tracing the tattoo there.

"Did you know Cora was coming down?" Lyra asked, stretching out her legs over Derek's lap. She reached out to brush her fingertips over the curve of his neck, then his shoulder.

"No," he told her. "I saw her pull up and thought I needed to get my eyes checked. I couldn't believe it."

"You should've call me over when she did."

"You were busy with…this," Derek said with a smirk as he tugged her braid.

Lyra grimaced again, running her hand over her hair. Impatiently, she tugged it free, letting it fall in loose waves over her shoulders. She was letting it grow back out, so now it fell in a mixture of honey blonde and deep brown.

"Better," Derek agreed, playing with the long tendrils.

Lyra sighed, eyes drooping a little. "Do you want to go for a run?" she asked after a beat.

"A run?" Derek repeated.

"Yes, you know, that thing people do when they move their feet really fast."

Derek rolled his eyes. He shifted to face Lyra better. "All right. Where do you wanna go?"

Lyra all but leapt to her feet, pulling him with her. "I don't know. Let's just go."

Ooo0ooO

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.

Author's Note: Please review!