Chapter Twenty Three: Where We Go From Here

Derek opened his eyes the morning after the confrontation with Peter and his pack, squinting against the bright afternoon sun. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, sighing.

His mind ran over the events that had happened the night before, a slight frown creasing his face.

The tall Omega and the other wolves stood looking at one another after Scott had offered them a place amongst his Pack, or a peaceful path to leave.

The skinny red head woman who had attacked them before stepped forward. Her gaze avoided Lyra's, but focused on Scott. "How do we know you'll keep your word?" she asked. Her slim finger pointed at Lyra. "This one hunted down the Pack that killed hers. Who's to say she won't do the same to us, who attacked her and your Pack?"

Derek's gaze had flown to Lyra, who had paled at the direct question. He heard her breathing become uneven and he wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, but Abby seemed to have the same thought, and gripped her sister's hand.

Scott hesitated, but it was only for a moment. "That was the past," he said in a firm tone. "She's got a place in my Pack now."

Derek didn't miss the fleeting look that Scott and Lyra shared.

Scott turned towards the others, getting the conversation away from Lyra. "And you can too," he offered again, opening his hands in a peaceful gesture.

The red head looked towards the tall Omega. "We will go," she declared after a moment of silent communication.

Scott smiled with understanding. "Perhaps one of you will become the Alpha," he said in an optimistic tone.

The wolves merely nodded towards the Alpha, before they disappeared quickly, leaving Peter alone with the Triskelion Pack.

Peter, who was on his knees, was being held up by Derek to prevent him from lying on his face in the dirt. "Gonna kill me, little Alpha?" he asked when Scott glanced at him.

Scott raised his brows. "Well, considering I just said there was going to be no more killing, no, I'm not."

A stifled chuckle came from Stiles' direction.

"Then what? Back to the hospital? The mill?"

"Don't ask me," Scott said, shaking his head. "You don't have a place in my Pack. I'll leave you to your family."

Peter's eyes shifted to Derek, suddenly nervous again.

A slight movement pulled Derek from his thoughts.

Lyra, who was still asleep, moved onto her side, face buried into her pillow. Her hair was down, wavy from the braid she had had it in the other day. She wore an old shirt that had rode up her stomach and some dark blue panties with soft pink roses stamped into the soft material.

Derek stared at her, his chest warming like it always did when he looked at her. The frown he had been wearing faded to a soft smile.

His hand reached out, about to brush the hair from her cheek, but he stopped. He should let her sleep, since the last few days had been trying.

His gaze tracked down the length of her body, to the long, bare legs, the curve of her hip, the slope of her shoulder... and then her eyes opened, meeting his as though she could hear his thoughts.

Her lips curved. "Good morning, Alpha Derek."

Derek rolled his eyes at the old nickname. He touched her cheek like he had wanted to moments ago, and she sighed softly at the feel of his warm skin against hers. "Go back to sleep," he encouraged. "Everyone is still asleep too."

Lyra kept smiling, but her eyes drooped again.

Some had gone to the cottage with Victoria, others had taken up the spare rooms and couches at the Hale house. Even Max and Cora had returned, the latter irked she had "missed all the fun", and they had spent the night in the old loft, which was back under Derek's name.

"Don't overthink it," Lyra murmured suddenly, her eyes now completely closed.

"What?"

"Where we go from here," she said, her body relaxing back into sleep.

Derek stared at her for a long moment before he shifted his gaze back towards the ceiling.

The idea had originally come from what had happened to Isaac, thanks to the Alpha Pack. Lyra had made some comment about it being the most "humane" way to end this once and for all.

Derek stared at the figure lying on the hospital bed in front of him, uncertainty etched into his face.

Peter lied there, his gaze blank as he stared out the window. The sun was starting to rise, tinging the dark sky with a faint pink color.

Derek flexed his fist unconsciously.

"The memories will be easy to take," Deaton had told him, after he had joined them. "Easier than you believe."

"And he won't remember anything?" Cora asked, fidgeting with her bracelet.

"No," Deaton said reassuringly. "Not unless you want him to."

Derek shook his head a little. He did want to think about what they were going to do now, where they go from here, but a wave of tiredness swept over him. So he turned on his back, smiling when he felt Lyra snuggle against him, her lips brushing over his Triskelion tattoo. He grasped her hand on his, and allowed himself to drift off again.

Ooo0ooO

Lyra was the next one to wake up, this time in the early evening. She rolled slightly to look at the time- 5:15. Her gaze then shifted to the open window.

The sun was setting slowly, and the air was cooler than it had been before. The sky was perfectly clear and the wind carried the smells of the forest.

It should be gray and gloomy, Lyra thought, then laugh silently at herself. No, the sun felt nice after so many stormy days surrounding the trouble that seemed to keep finding Beacon Hills.

She knew she should probably get up, check on the others, but she reminded herself that there was no need. Everyone was close, and everyone was safe.

"They're all right," a voice from the doorway said.

Lyra looked over and smiled. Derek was standing there, shirtless with a pair of low riding sweatpants. His hair was still rumbled and his stubble looked more like a beard.

"But we are out of cereal again," Derek added, crossing the room towards the bed again.

Lyra laughed loudly. "It's Melissa's turn to get the bill," she chuckled.

Derek grinned. "I'll send it with Scott."

"They're still here?" she asked as he sat down next to her.

Derek nodded, resting a hand on her thigh, his thumb brushing the Triskelion tattoo there. "Apparently Abby and Isaac got it in their head to have a barbecue here, to celebrate that it's all over."

"For now," Lyra said, then her eyes widened.

Derek gave her a look. He too was startled by her sudden outburst.

"I'm sorry," she said, lowering her gaze. "Habit, I suppose."

Derek tugged at her hand until he had pulled her into his lap. He hand gently stroked her hair. "It's over," he told her gently.

They sat there together for a long time, wrapped in each other. Finally, Lyra pulled away and quietly pulled on a pair of gray leggings before leaving the room. Derek followed her, tugging on a shirt.

The others were all gathered in the living room, chatting and playing cards. It seemed so normal, Derek was almost startled again.

Lyra had maneuvered herself between Isaac and Cora, her head resting on the shoulder on the former as she chatted with the latter.

Derek smiled and saw Abby waving him over. He plopped down next to his sister in law, who wordlessly dealt him into the poker game going on between herself, Stiles, and Max.

"Yes!" Stiles crowed after glancing at his cards. When he saw the others staring at him, he corrected himself, "Or no?"

Abby gave Derek a look, and they laughed.

When the sun finally set, the group ordered pizzas and tucked in all over the living room, since the dining room was not built for the large Pack to sit in.

Derek chewed on a slice, beer in his other hand, and found himself watching Lyra again.

She was talking to her boys- Scott, Isaac, and Stiles- who were arguing about something he didn't pay attention to. She was shaking her head at something that Stiles was saying, rolling her eyes, and then she turned to grab her beer when she saw Derek.

Lyra smirked and winked coyly.

Derek, in turn, smiled slowly and lifted his beer in a silent salute.

Lyra returned the gesture, both of their gazes heating as they eyed each other from across the room.

"Stop eyeing my sister like that, or I'll puke on you," Abby warned, jabbing a sharp elbow into his side.

Derek grunted and gave her an apologetic smile. "But she's something to look at."

Abby rolled her eyes, bemused. "Keep it on your pants, Hale."

"Someone say Hale?"

Derek looked up just as Lyra dropped into his lap. She smiled. "Hey, babe."

Even though he could see Abby miming herself vomiting into a pizza box, he grinned widely. "Hey." He reached up, tugging at the ends of her hair.

"Hands, Hale!" Abby shouted.

"Which one?" Derek and Lyra asked in unison, which made everyone laugh.

Lyra leaned over, pressing her lips to Derek's. "Later," she said against his ear, sparing the others.

Derek eyed her, his green eyes almost glowing. "Later."

Perhaps it wasn't necessary to think about where they go from here, Derek figured. There was no need for a plan, or for worry. Perhaps now, all he had to think about was... well, later.

Ooo0ooO

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.

Author's Note: Please review.