Chapter Six
Three noses rise into the air as soon as the shock wears off. Isaac recognizes the scent immediately and calms down enough to open the door to reveal a very pissed off Jackson.
"What're you do---" before Isaac can even get the question out, Jackson throws his phone up like a badge and shoves past him. Isaac deflates.
"Derek told me to come here," he mumbles, stepping into the living room. He takes a look around at the bare walls and cheap furniture and gives a little snort. Isaac has never been inside Jackson's house, but he knows it has to look amazing and modern. The townhome definitely looks as though three bachelors live there. Nothing matches. There are no pictures on the walls. They're using a brown milk crate as an end table. "So where is he?"
Scott arrives in the living room a second later. He physically tries to puff himself up, probably to look larger. Isaac hides a grin. Scott is short and compared to Jackson, anyone who didn't know them would think that Jackson would have the upper hand. "Derek isn't here, yet."
Jackson scowls and flips through his phone for a second, "Whatever. I'm calling Lydia. If I have to sit through this crap, then so can she."
Before Isaac can stop him, Jackson has his phone to his ear and is walking into the kitchen to talk to Lydia. Erica shifts her chair a little to keep her distance from the newest pack member. Isaac will have to explain everything Jackson related to her, later. Right now, he's mostly concerned about the fact that he has no idea where Stiles, Peter and Derek are.
He steps outside for a moment to strain his ears for any clues. Derek will howl if something goes wrong. He'll alert the other members of his pack that the alphas are cornering them at the Hale house. At least Isaac hopes he will.
The scent of fresh linen clouds Isaac senses and he glances behind him to see that Scott has joined him on the doorstep. He pulls his eyes away. The look on Scott's face makes Isaac's heart twist into knots.
"They're on their way," he says reassuringly.
Isaac raises an eyebrow, doubtful. "How do you know?"
Scott shrugs, "I just do. I don't know."
Isaac's mouth is set in a firm line and he looks back out over the parking lot, "I wonder why they're biding their time. Maybe they're waiting for us all to gather together before they make a move." Scott is close beside him. Very close. Isaac doesn't know what to do with himself so he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans and hunches his shoulders. He can feel Scott's arm bump his, but he continues in a shaking voice, "We should gather here. The lights in the parking lot... the closeness of other humans... the pack won't try and start a fight here. We're too exposed. It's like we're hiding in the plain site. If we go back to the preserve, they might start a fight." It's so hard to think about the present situation when Scott is standing beside him, radiating beauty and concern.
"I'm sure they've thought of that, too," Scott keeps pressing himself against Isaac like he's testing something. Isaac stops fighting it and leans against him. Scott smiles. Isaac wants to die. "They will be here."
"Yeah..."
"Come inside. We can't leave Jackson and Erica alone," Scott says, looking behind him at the front door. Isaac doesn't want shared company. He wants to stay out here with Scott, but he knows he has to squash down his feelings and act like a team player.
Just as they turn around, there's a blast of music and a familiar Jeep pulls into the parking lot. Derek is driving. Stiles is sulking. A few seconds later, Peter pulls up in the Camaro.
