Destiny [D.H.]

14

I saw the last of Jackson talking to Lydia. "I'm not responsible for you. Okay? But I will give you one piece of advice. If I were you, I'd stay home tonight."

"What does that mean?" Lydia asked. "What's tonight?"

"It's a full moon."

I left the school and began following Scott, still masking my scent.

Scott saw Derek in his Camaro who said, "Get in. Ella, come on."

Scott frowned. "Are you serious? You did that. That's all your fault. Ella? Why are you here?"

"I know that. Now get in the car and help me. She's following you because I told her to."

"You told her to?! Do you not trust me?! No, I've got a better idea. I'm gonna call a lawyer. Because a lawyer might actually have a chance at getting him out before the moon gets up."

"Not when they do a real search of the house."

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever Jackson said to the cops, what's in the house is worse. A lot worse."

I spoke up. "Isaac was abused. I have no idea what's in that house, but I knew we need to find out before the hunters do. Before the moon rises."

We got to Isaac's house and the scents of fear and anger was overwhelming.

"If Isaac didn't kill his father, who did?" Scott wondered.

Derek shook his head. "I don't know yet."

"Then how do you know he's telling the truth?"

"Because I trust my senses. And it's a combination of them. Not just your sense of smell."

I nodded. "Your sense of smell can betray you. You have to trust all of them; not just the one."

Scott glared at me and continued. "You saw the lacrosse thing today."

"Yeah," Derek said.

"Did it look that bad?"

"Yeah," Derek and I replied.

Derek continued talking as we headed towards the basement door. "You wanna learn? Let's start now."

"What's down there?" Scott wondered.

"Motive."

"And what am I looking for?"

"Follow your senses," I told Scott.

Scott slowly walked through the basement and came upon a box with a lock on it. "What happened here?"

"The kind of thing that leaves an impression," Derek replied, looking at the box. "Open it."

I stepped away from the box as though it scared me. Being locked in a box terrified me; not because I was claustrophobic or afraid of the dark, but because it made me sick to think of what Isaac went through.

"This is why he said yes to you," Scott realized.

Derek nodded. "Everyone wants power."

"If we help you, then you have to stop. You can't just go around turning people into werewolves."

"Well, there is a catch," I said, looking at Derek.

He nodded again. "I can if they're willing."

Scott frowned. "Did you tell Isaac about the Argents? About being hunted?"

"Yes, and he still asked."

"Then he's an idiot."

"For once, I agree with Scott on this," I said.