Story Drafts

Erica Reyes

"What're you gonna do, bite me?" I taunt him.

"Oh, you better run." Derek laughs and I take off running through the airport, hearing him chase me.

I easily exit the building and run straight for the woods. The familiar smells and sights make me grin, and I can't help but laugh as I run. I get distracted as I run, and Derek catches up to me. Once I realize how close he is, I urge myself to run faster, and start taking sharper turns until his scent fades away, meaning I lost him. I continue running until I recognise a familiar clearing up ahead by a cliff, and I pick up my speed, running fast enough to jump over the deep crater. I cheer as I jump it, and roll when I land. As soon as I stop rolling, I lay on the ground and burst into laughter. I hear rapid footsteps and there's suddenly two figures looming over me, one of them holding what looks like an electric baton.

"Who are you?" A voice asks and I look up at the boy standing over me. I look between him and the girl holding the baton a few times before laughing again.

"Oh gosh, I interrupted a forbidden lovers' meetup, didn't I?"

"Answer my question." He snaps. "No normal human can clear a cliff like that. You're in someone else's territory."

"Care to elaborate?" I play dumb.

"You're a werewolf." The boy growls, flashing his yellow eyes at me.

"You know, I really hate it when betas act all high and mighty." I sigh, sitting up. "You have no clue what you're talking about."

"Who are you?" He snarls and I stand up, brushing my jeans and jacket off.

"No need to worry about that, Pup."

"Tell me who you are." He snaps, grabbing the front of my jacket and pulling me towards him.

"Release me now."

"Scott." The girl says warningly.

"I'll let you go when you tell me what you're doing here."

"Wrong choice." I growl, grabbing his wrist and ripping it off of me. I spin him around and break his arm before throwing him to the ground.

"Scott!" The girl calls, rushing to him.

"Touch me again and I'll do worse than simply breaking your arm." I flash my eyes at him before sprinting off, following Derek's scent.

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"Wolf, you need to be careful." Derek scolds me when I enter the abandoned train station. "There's more hunters around than usual."

"And more feisty betas, apparently." I reply. "I accidentally interrupted a little forbidden hookup between two teens, and the boy wasn't very happy. He threatened me. Let's just say I left him with a broken arm."

"That would be Scott McCall." Derek chuckles. "He was turned by Peter a few months ago."

"Dang, I miss Uncle Peter. Where is he?"

"Dead. I killed him and became alpha after he killed Kate Argent." He says, no remorse in his voice.

"How did he become an alpha?" I ask.

"He killed Lara. She was an alpha."

"Damn." I chuckle, but I stop when I hear someone running into the station while calling Derek's name.

"What's wrong?" Derek asks, glowing his red eyes to calm the boy.

"My dad." The boy pants. "I think he's dead."

"What did you do?" Derek asks, stepping into the light.

"That's the thing. It wasn't me."

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"So this is your first beta." I say, sitting in front of the boy, whose name I learned is Isaac.

"Yeah." Derek laughs. "Go easy on him."

"Now why would I do that?" I smirk at the smell of Isaac's fear.

"Uh, who are you, exactly?" Isaac asks me.

"Wow, Derek. You didn't tell him who I am? How insulting."

"Shut up." He says, walking outside to do something.

"Love you too, Bro!" I call after him, laughing when he flips me off. I turn and look back at the uncomfortable beta in front of me. "I'm Wolf Hale. Derek's younger brother."

"Wolf?" Isaac asks. "Isn't that kinda ironic?"

"How so?" I ask, pretending to be confused.

"I mean, you're a werewolf. And your name is Wolf." He slowly says and I laugh.

"It's not my real name. It's just a nickname that my uncle used to call me when I was a kid."

"Your uncle called you Wolf?" Isaac raises an eyebrow. "Isn't that a little cruel?"

"He called me Little Wolf." I chuckle. "But I didn't exactly appreciate everyone calling me Little Wolf. He was the only one who could. And I always liked being called a wolf. So it just became my nickname. I got so used to it that it was weird to hear classmates and strangers call me by my real name."

"What is your real name?"

"Maverick. But if you tell anyone, I'll rip your head off." I say, dead serious.

"Understood." Isaac nods and I laugh again.

"I think we're gonna be good friends, Isaac."