Isaac woke up from his nap a few hours later with a jolt and a gasp. He'd cried himself to sleep, never moving from the position he'd laid down in. At least it was better than the earlier unconsciousness, but Derek had never seen a teenager who slept so much. Werewolves had so much natural energy that he was starting to get a little antsy just sitting around, but he couldn't risk leaving to blow off steam.

"I really hope that isn't how you always wake up," Derek huffed, eyeing Isaac as he carefully rolled onto his back.

"I don't usually have an audience," Isaac grunted, rolling his shoulders and grimacing a little.

"You okay?" Derek asked, trying not to sound like he cared too much, since he didn't. Just bored curiosity.

"Peachy. This is exactly how I wanted to spend my… whatever day this is," Isaac snorted. Well, at least he wasn't crying anymore. Derek could deal with an asshole better than someone emotional. Like knows like. "Am I supposed to be in school?"

"Do you even like school?"

"Does anyone like school?"

"No one normal."

"Home, school, work. One shitty place after another," Isaac muttered, staring at the ceiling. "I wonder where this place will end up on the ranking."

"Well, I was about to order pizza. Does that tip the scales?"

"Really?" Isaac asked, perking up a little.

"Do you really think I'm about to cook in this place?" Derek questioned, waving his hand toward the tiny microwave in the corner. That and a coffee maker was basically their kitchen.

"I thought maybe you'd go out and catch a deer or something. Or rob another grave."

"I didn't rob the first one. Corpse organs aren't really my style."

"Prefer something fresher?"

"Are you offering?"

"Have at it," Isaac laughed bitterly, waving his hand over his torso. "They've already been tenderized for you." And here was the guy who didn't let anything affect him. Derek knew that guy. He was that guy. He could write the book on it.

"I think I'll pass. The hunt is half the fun."

"That thing the other night, in the cemetery. Was that another werewolf? Was it planning on eating me?"

"It was a werewolf, but I don't think he was planning on doing anything to you. He probably just wanted you out of the way."

"Why was he like that? And why aren't you?" Isaac asked, sitting up against the wall with his arms wrapped around his legs.

"He was an Omega. A lone wolf. Going through life trying to survive without a pack," Derek explained.

"Where is your pack?"

"I don't have one yet. I only just became an Alpha."

"Well, doesn't that make you an Omega? Is that why you're trying so hard to turn me into a werewolf? Am I the only thing keeping you from eating dead bodies like a zombie?" Isaac asked, sounding slightly horrified.

"No. It's more complicated than that. And zombies eat living people."

"You should stop wasting your time with me and find someone who wants all that. Besides, you wouldn't want to be stuck with me anyways."

"What makes you say that?"

"Really?" Isaac scoffed, shaking his head as if the answer was obvious. "I'm worthless. I'd only drag you down."

"Is that you talking or your father?" Derek challenged. Isaac turned his head away in embarrassment, but not before Derek could see the flush on his cheeks.

"Doesn't matter if it's true," Isaac muttered.

"And who got to decide that?"

"Society as a whole? There isn't a single person on this planet who gives a damn about me. I suppose that's why you picked me though, right? Take someone no one will miss?"

"I chose you because I saw potential," Derek replied. That wasn't entirely the truth, but he still wasn't sure himself why he'd been so drawn to this kid. Maybe it was instinct.

"Potential for what? Being a human punching bag? That's basically all I have on my résumé, besides digging graves," Isaac scoffed.

"Well, with that attitude, nothing will change. Ask me how I know."

"So you're saying if I change my ways, I can turn out like you? A guy who follows around teenagers in the middle of the night."

"It's not exactly a habit," Derek protested, even though he wasn't sure why he was defending himself to this kid.

"Or maybe I can become an Alpha? How does one rise to that ranking?" Isaac asked, staring at him pointedly.

"I killed for it," Derek replied simply. There was no use lying about it. Derek could see a little of the bravado Isaac had built up melting away.

"Who?"

"Who what?"

"Who did you kill?"

"My uncle."

"Is that- is it some sort of initiation thing? You have to kill a member of your family?" Isaac asked, sliding off of his bed as his breathing picked up. "Are you gonna try to make me kill my dad?"

"Isaac, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Isaac shouted, flicking his eyes between him and the door. "I've been kidnapped by a murderer. How am I supposed to act?"

"If you would just shut up for a second, I can explain."

"Explain?" Isaac hissed, before telegraphing his next move ever so slightly. Derek knew what was coming, so when Isaac made a break for the door, he intercepted him.

"Wait."

"Hel-" Derek pressed his hand against Isaac's mouth as he tried to yell for help. The last thing he needed was someone coming and trying to be a hero. Doing the right thing wasn't all it was cracked up to be, which Derek was quickly realizing. Isaac bucked against him as Derek wrapped him up from behind, trying to keep him still. This couldn't have felt good on Isaac's bruises, but Derek just needed him to calm down for a minute.

"I had to kill my uncle to stop him from hurting other people. He'd already killed my sister and had bitten others. This isn't some gang initiation where I make you kill someone to earn your place, especially not your own father. I know what it's like to lose family that way and I wouldn't force something like that on anyone," Derek said, listening as Isaac's harsh pants settled back into something a bit more calm. "If I let you go, will you stay quiet?" Isaac nodded his head and Derek cautiously peeled his hand away, prepared to quiet Isaac again if necessary. Isaac stretched his jaw from side to side and poked his reopened split lip with his tongue.

"Was that all true?" Isaac asked quietly, slowly turning to face him.

"It is," Derek confirmed.

"Oh," Isaac replied, considering his words for a moment. "I'm sorry about your sister." Derek had to admit that he was kind of taken aback. He wasn't sure if anyone had said that to him. He tried to play it off like her death didn't matter, but that wasn't true. It had been him and her against the world for the past few years, but now she was gone, just like everyone else.

"Thank you."

"So, what now?" Isaac asked, taking a tiny step back, but away from the door.

"Now I order the pizza. Any requests?"

"No, I mean… what happens if I never change my mind about becoming a werewolf?" That was a good question that Derek had no idea the answer to. Did he take the kid out of town and dump him somewhere with a couple bucks? Did he keep him until he turned 18 and became a legal adult? Did he let him go back to his abusive father? None of those options felt right.

"I don't know," Derek admitted with a sigh. Time to decide wasn't really a luxury they had in all cases, but it was better than being impulsive and making things worse. That's what got him into this mess.

"No pineapple."

"What?"

"On the pizza. I hate pineapple on pizza. And extra cheese."

"Extra cheese is pushing it," Derek scoffed. This change in attitude was abrupt, but he was going to go with it. It was better than the alternatives.

"You owe me. The least you can do is order extra cheese."

"I'm pretty sure you have that backwards. Didn't I save your life?" Isaac looked like he was considering Derek's words before he just shrugged and walked over to his bed again. Derek rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone and made the call, staring pointedly at Isaac as he honored his requests. If that's what it took to earn his trust and keep him quiet, it was a small price to pay.

He sat back on his own bed as they waited for the pizza to show up, considering what his best case scenario would be. It would still be turning Isaac and making him a part of his pack, but then he really would be stuck taking care of a teenager. Sending him back to his father, even with the means of defending himself was not an option. Either Isaac would snap and kill him or the secret would get out and put them all in danger. And the idea of turning this kid into a killer, even if that wasn't his intention, was making him feel some sort of way. Even while Isaac was angry and terrified, he was still able to show compassion and sympathy. Derek didn't want to be the one to take that away from him. Maybe Isaac wasn't meant for this life after all.