Translucence

32

Kya hopped onto the table and crossed her legs on the table as she folded her hands.

Peter stood up and drew a spiral in the window condensation. "Our mark for vendetta."

Stiles took a sharp breath. "Man, you guys really take that revenge thing to, like, a whole new level, don't you?"

Cora shook her head. "It's not just revenge. Losing a member of your pack isn't like losing family. It's like you lose a limb."

"They wouldn't even let him see the body," Peter said.

Cora turned to her uncle and frowned. "I don't get it. What does this have to do with Derek?"

"Everything. It's never just a single moment. It's a confluence of events. Personally, I looked at Ennis' circumstances. I saw a profound loss. Derek saw something different. He saw opportunity."

"To do what?" Stiles and Kya wondered.

"To always be with her," Peter replied.

Peter continued with his story. "The thing was, he had this constant fear. He was obsessing over it, thinking about it all night, always on his mind. I kept telling him not to do it. Everyday the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became. You know teenagers. I bet he even blames me. He's probably convinced the whole thing was my idea."

He told them about the emissaries and Cora informed, "They keep us connected to humanity. But they're a secret; even in the pack. Sometimes, only the Alpha knows who the emissary is. Derek and I had no idea about Deaton."

"Or his sister, Morrell," Peter added.

Kya raised a brow as Stiles questioned, "She's an emissary too?"

Peter gave him a nod. "For the Alpha pack."

Stiles narrowed his eyes. "Our guidance counselor? Why the hell don't you people tell us any of this stuff, huh? I shared some really intimate details with her."

Cora turned to him. "And did she give you good advice?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

Peter stared at Stiles. "That's what they do. That's what Deaton used to do for Talia."

He went on to discuss the bite and Cora frowned at him. "Ennis? Why would he choose him?"

Peter shrugged. "Why not? Ennis needed a new member for his pack. Paige was young and strong. Doing a favor for Derek meant Ennis would be in good with Talia. Back then, everybody wanted to be in good with her."

Stiles asked, "He doesn't remember Ennis, does he?"

"If he does, he keeps it to himself."

"What happened to her? Did she turn?"

"Almost. He came at Ennis. A 15-year-old boy against a giant. There was no reason for him to fight. She'd already been bitten."

"So did she turn?" Cora wondered.

"She should have. Most of the time, the bite takes. Most of the time."

Stiles turned to Peter. "When you offered it to me, you said, ""If it doesn't kill you.""

"If. I remember taking her body from his arms, to the woods, to a place where I knew that it would be found... another in a long line of Beacon Hills animal attacks."

"And what about Derek?" Cora asked.

Peter let out a sigh. "Taking an innocent life takes... Something from you as well, a bit of your soul... darkening it, dimming the once brilliant golden yellow to a cold, steel blue... like mine." He flicked his eyes to reveal steely blue eyes.

Kya stared at Peter a moment, suddenly realizing why Derek was the way he was.

Peter left, and Stiles gave a weird look to Cora. "What? What's this... what's this look on your face?"

"What look?" he asked.

"The kind of look that makes me want to punch you."

Stiles leaned back slightly. "Oh, my God. You are so Derek's sister. I forgot."

She nodded and frowned. "Well, what is with the look?"

Stiles let out a sigh. "I just don't believe him. All right, in Ms. Blake's class, we're reading Heart of Darkness, and it's in first person, right? Narrated by Marlow. The thing is that he's... he's an unreliable narrator. You know the details of it have changed, you know, just because of his perspective."

Cora gave him a slow nod. "Well, then we heard the story from Peter's perspective."

"And we need the other half," Kya and Stiles stated.

Cora looked at him. "So, what, are... Are you just gonna ask Derek about the girl he fell in love with and then killed?"

"If I have to... Yeah," Stiles said.

Kya shook her head. "No. That's a really idea. After what happened with that girl seeing her dead boyfriend- Don't even think about it."

"Too late."

Cora frowned, wondering who Stiles was talking to and shook her head, letting out a sigh.