Howl 2

Epilogue

I've learned a few things lately:

I'm adopted.

I'm a Dire Wolf.

I'm not a viking wolf - Ramona doesn't like it when I call it that.

I have a sister.

I have another brother.

I'm an alpha.

I have a pack that's waiting for me somewhere.

My biological mother was killed by Gerard.

Biting people taste bad.

Toothpaste doesn't take away the taste of blood.

Derek's car is perfect for sex.

I think I scratched his seats.

I definitely scratched his seats.

I have much to learn about being an alpha.

Ramona said she's going to stick around for a bit. Apparently my pack was lying low in Alaska at the current moment, but after she found me and sent Vince a telepathic signal, he's leading the pack here to Beacon Hills for us to be united. I had no clue what I'm supposed to do when that happens and a part of me was afraid that they'd expect me to lead them somewhere else - away from my family.

It was break time, which meant that Ramona had plenty of time to teach me the basics of what I was capable of. The rest was Vince's job. I told her she could stay with me until we could find her a better place to crash since we couldn't hide her from Dad all the time. Somehow it was also a good thing because it supported my case to why I should have a double bed like Stiles as well. So we switched beds and Derek and I had the change to test it out a few nights ago.

It's funny how things changed after we've taken care of Gerard and the kanima.

Allison and her father seemed to have grown closer since her mom died and Gerard disappeared into thin air. She dropped the crazy huntress act and she and her father tried living a normal life since then. I guess she also felt guilty for shutting him out and going against him.

Scott was back where he started; no lacrosse, no popularity, no Allison. Yeah, they broke up the very same night Gerard almost killed us all. Apparently it was a good breakup, not that I believed those existed. They hurt nonetheless. He still had Stiles, though, but that never really changed.

But I have at long last followed Mr Harris' advice and finally 'let go of what's holding me back'. I know, know, I can't let go of Stiles because he's my brother. But not in that way, though. I just made the choice to be my own person for a while not following them around all the time and keeping them out of trouble. There was a hidden potential in me that I was curious to explore and I was done being held back.

Leaves and twigs snapped underneath my shoes as we walked up to the Hale house. It felt like ages since we've been here. The weather was changing and the days turned warmer. Under the bright green leaves of the trees above, the house didn't seem as menacing as usual. I could actually imagine a family of werewolves once living here in perfect harmony.

But one thing changed.

There was a symbol on the door that looked awfully like a triskele, though its spirals were sharp and straight. Derek, Peter, Isaac and I stopped at the steps as we all stared at it in mild confusion.

"You haven't told him everything yet, have you?" Peter assumed and looked from Isaac to Derek.

Isaac frowned, "What do you mean?"

Peter shrugged, "Why do you think Derek was in such a hurry to build his pack? So eager to strengthen his power and his number? When there's a new Alpha, people take notice."

"People like who?" I asked and looked at the symbol with wide eyes. Something seemed familiar about it. I just couldn't put my finger on it - like I've seen that symbol before.

"What is this? What does this mean?" Isaac asked and approached the door with caution.

"It's their symbol." Derek replied gravely, "And it means they're coming."

"Who?" 

"Alphas," Peter said.

"A pack of them," Derek added.

Peter took a step closer to us and folded his hands behind his back, "An Alpha pack. And they're not coming. They're already here."

Derek never told me this. This whole time I assumed that he was building a pack to prepare for the threat Gerard posed. But I guess I couldn't really blame him. I never told him about the time when I encountered figures with silver eyes, so that made us even. But if this Alpha pack was as dangerous as Peter's voice and grave expression made me believe, then there wasn't time to pass out bites and retrain new werewolves.

I grabbed Derek by the hand to talk in private, "You're not telling me to stay out of this again, Derek. We both know how well that turned out the last time you told me not to get involved."

He winced and sighed sharply, "Trust me, I don't need to be reminded."

"Good." I said firmly and looked him dead in the eye, "We're mates. And no matter what threat we face, I'm not going to ask your permission to fight. If that means protecting you and everyone I care about, I'll do it in a heartbeat."

"Is that you or the alpha in you talking?" Derek quirked a brow and his mouth corners twitched up, "We still need to talk about that, you know."

"It's both." I shrugged and stood on my toes to press a sweet kiss to his lips, "So, are we together in this?"

His green orbs made me want to melt into a puddle of emotions. My heart skipped a beat when his hands cupped my face before he brushed his lips over mine. I gave into him and wrapped my arms around his waist and felt him growl against me.

When he withdrew, we both were breathless and his warm breath fanned over my face as he whispered, "Together."

"Great." I winked and took a step back, "Now do that thing that makes me happy."

Derek emitted a long breath before meeting my eyes. In the bright rays of the sun, he only managed to leave me breathless when his face lit up in a smile. I officially decided that his smile was brighter than my future and that without seeing it at least once every day, would be the death of me.

I intertwined our fingers and we walked through the forest hand in hand towards his car - with the scratched backseats.

The End...