Perfect Fit (Derek Hale Fanfiction Book #1)

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Hesitation

     *A/N: Picture of Christina's mother, Gina, on the right!        

         “Peter’s back?!” I cried, outraged, as I examined the faces of my friends, my boyfriend, who were standing around me looking uneasy. Derek had come home last night, completely torn up with worry and anguish, thinking I’d died at the station or something. But when he’d seen me lying on the couch in the living room, he’d held me against him for the rest of the night, as though scared to let me go. Now that we’d all gotten a good night’s rest, the pack had decided it was finally time to clue me in on the goings on in the werewolf community.

“Yep, and because of the Argent’s hunt for Derek, none of us are safe at school, Chris. Not Erica, not Boyd, and not you,” Isaac said fiercely, sitting down next to me and patting me on the back. It was too much to take in at once – Peter was the Alpha that bit Scott, that started all of this, and when Derek had killed him I’d thought he was gone forever. How could he possibly be back?

“Um, I need a minute. Would you mind dropping me off at my house later, Derek?” I mumbled, getting to my feet and scampering up the stairs before any of them could see the tears in my eyes. I burst through the bedroom door, running a hand through my hair and sucking in a few panicked, teary breaths. I knew I was about to cry, but I was frustrated because I didn’t want to break down and sob and start the day off terribly. Yesterday had ended badly enough, I didn’t need to have another awful day. Keep it together, Chris. It’s just Peter. It’s not like he’s the Devil or something. And besides, you’ve got Derek now. He’ll protect you. But the image that had haunted my recurring nightmares wouldn’t disappear from inside my head; those glowing red eyes, surrounded by mangy fur and viciously long canines, snapping at me that night in the woods with Scott. That was the moment I’d known my life would never be the same – that even if it had just been a wolf, I couldn’t just be boring old TV-junkie Christina Laymen, not anymore. I had to someone strong, someone brave, someone willing to protect her friends and loved ones with her life. But reflecting back on all that had happened since then, I realized I was a disappointment to my old self. I couldn’t protect anybody; instead, people got hurt around me, people I cared about, and there was nothing I could do to help them. There was never anything I could do. I let myself down. This isn’t the person I want to be.

            Struck with newfound motivation, I heaved my suitcase out of the closet and starting yanking clothes down from the hangers. I gathered up as many pairs of my shoes as I could, stuffed them in my suitcase, and then kept throwing in t-shirts, skirts, pairs of pants, sweatshirts, and underwear. I’d packed up my second suitcase and was just finishing up a text to Michael, asking him to come pick me up and bring Kyle with him when Derek’s voice sounded from behind me.

“What the hell are you doing?”  

I spun around, guiltily dropping my phone in surprise. It clattered on the uncarpeted portion of the floor, but I ignored it. My eyes locked with Derek’s, and I could see the hurt pooling in them. He knew before I’d even said a word, but I still felt obligated to explain.

“Derek- I-“I stopped myself, my throat closing up and tears finally spilled down my cheeks. I struggled to find the right words to get Derek to understand, but none came. “I-I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry? You’re sorry? Chris, where did this even come from?” Derek shouted, throwing his hands out exasperatedly.

“I just…I need to take a break from all of this,” I said slowly, wincing at the cliché-ness of my own words.

“A break from what? Me?” Derek’s voice cracked, and he turned to punch the wall aggressively. He broke through the plaster, leaving a gaping hole in the bedroom wall. I let out a little scream, jumping forward as though to go to him but deciding not to at the last minute. Derek was like a loaded gun right now – unpredictable and deadly.