TIGHT arms compress Karson's body close to theirs which causes her to stir from a deep sleep. She turns her head slightly to grip Derek's chin with her fingers, gently caressing his scruff with the pad of her thumb and smiling at the peaceful expression on his sleeping face. She admires how young he looks when he is resting. Warmth fills her chest cavity as Karson reminisces about their time together last night. The ache between her legs intensifies as Karson swings one of them over Derek's torso to pull him closer. A light hum escapes Derek's mouth as he digs his fingernails into her body to hold her tighter. No longer having any sort of self-control, Karson grabs his face and connects their lips together.
Derek weaves his fingers through her hair to push her lips closer than possible against his own. Fireworks explode in Karson's stomach at the contact but she forces herself to pull away when her lungs scream for air.
"Good morning." Karson greets the man staring back at her. She releases Derek's face to pull the blanket covering her bare chest higher when a cold spot attacks her body, causing her to shiver ever so slightly.
"It is." Derek says, assisting Karson in wrapping the blanket firmly against her small figure. Karson allows him to sneak his arm behind her head to hold her and her cheek quickly finds refuge in the area of his collarbone. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm great." Karson smiles, pressing a kiss to his neck. "I wish we could stay like this forever."
"That could be arranged." Derek says, tugging the edges of his mouth upward. "Considering we have all the time in the world."
Karson feels Derek's member become hard as it presses against her opening eagerly. She digs her heel into his lower back to push him closer, earning a gasp from both of them. "I think someone's a little excited."
"How could I not be? I've got the most beautiful woman in my arms." Derek says.
"That was the cheesiest shit I've ever heard." Karson laughs, playfully ruffling his hair.
"I don't care, it's true." Derek replies, drawing small circles on Karson's low back with his index finger.
Karson kisses him again, sending shock waves of pleasure coursing through her body. Derek moans into the kiss and rolls over so that he is hovering over her. Karson feels the muscles in his back tense as she runs her hands up and down them. Wholeheartedly ready for another round of pleasure, Karson pulls him closer to her, almost connecting their bodies.
However, a loud ringtone erupts from Karson's bag near their makeshift bed on the Hale House living room floor. A groan fills Derek's throat as he removes his lips from hers to trail kisses down her neck and chest.
Still holding onto Derek, Karson extends one of her arms to rummage through her bag for the cell phone. A text message bubble pops up on her home screen, revealing a text from Scott.
Meet at the lacrosse field? 10 am?
Karson replies with a thumbs-up emoji and throws her phone back into her bag, turning to face Derek who is already looking up at her with his chin resting on her sternum.
"Scott wants to meet up. Looks like we have to get back to reality." Karson uses both of her hands to cup his face.
"But I don't want to share you." Derek pouts, jutting his lower lip out in disagreement.
"You will never have to share me, D." Karson mutters, pecking his lips one last time before escaping from underneath Derek's large figure. As she starts to dress herself Karson can feel Derek's eyes on her. She turns around to see him smirking at her, looking her up and down.
"Can I help you?" Karson asks playfully, trying to maintain her balance as she finishes dressing by putting on her shoes.
"No...just thinking about going another round." Derek's eyes fill with desire as he remains propped up on his elbow with his temple resting on his closed fist.
"Uhh. I suggest something more PG-13." The two whip their heads to observe Peter leaning against the wall with his ankles crossed. "Unless you want an audience."
"Is there a reason why you are still here?" Karson asks him, not even trying to hide the annoyance in her voice.
"Why would I leave? I finally got my strength back as well as my relationship with my nephew." Peter grins, causing her to roll her eyes.
"You must have fallen and hit your head pretty bad." Derek says, standing up with the blanket wrapped around his lower torso as he searches for his clothes on the ground.
"I mean it, I'm staying to make things right and make up for my mistakes." Peter says.
"Tell that to my sister, Laura." Derek snaps, throwing his jacket on before walking over to Karson's side. He grabs her waist to pull her towards the front door. "Do everybody a favor and skip town. Killing you again is definitely an option if you don't."
As Derek pulls Karson out of the house, they are startled to find Issac standing on the front steps. There is a concerned look on his face, which Karson chalks up to be the awkwardness of him realizing Derek and her spent the night together. However, that theory flies out of the window when she follows his line of sight toward the front door. A black symbol is etched onto the wood, resembling some sort of spiral. A pang of uneasiness shoots through Karson as she gulps. "What the hell is that?"
"You haven't told them everything yet, have you?" Peter says while staring at Derek.
"Told us what?" Karson asks, furrowing her eyebrows at Derek.
"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." Peter explains.
"People like who?" Issac asks, slowly approaching the engraved symbol on the front door. "What is this? What does this mean?"
"It's their symbol... and it means they're coming." Derek replies, arms crossed at his chest.
"Who?"
"Alphas."
"Alphas. As in, more than one?" Karson asks.
"A pack of them." Derek says, causing Karson's eyes to widen.
"An Alpha Pack. And they're not coming..." Peter explains. "They're already here."
**************************
Derek's car zooms up near the lacrosse field at Beacon Hills High School. Before Karson can exit though, Derek grips her wrist to stop her.
"You need to promise me you won't tell them about the pack." Derek says.
"Why?"
"Because it isn't their fight. These alphas...they're after me and only me." Derek explains, caressing his thumb over her skin as his hand remains tight on hers. "They can't get caught up in whatever will happen."
"What do they want from you?" Karson asks, closing the ajar passenger door to face her body at him. "Derek, you're scaring me."
"Hey, it's okay. You don't need to be scared. Nothing is gonna happen to you." Derek cups her cheek to caress her jaw in comfort. "As far as I know, they want me to join their pack. Which won't be happening."
"If all they want is you to join their pack, then why did that symbol on your door seem more like a threat?" Karson narrows her eyes at him. "What aren't you telling me?"
"Baby, I will tell you everything with time. Right now you need to go see your friends and enjoy yourself without having to worry about anything supernatural for the day." Derek says.
"You know I can't do that." Karson replies, gripping the back of his neck. "My stubborn ass won't let me just let it go."
"I know." Derek chuckles, moving to plant a kiss on her forehead. "But, please, just give me time and trust that I know what I'm doing."
"You're fricking lucky I love you." Karson replies, grinning at him. This earns her another laugh from Derek who releases his grip on her. Karson moves to exit his vehicle but stops short to lean over the opened window when she is outside. "You know Scott and Stiles will figure out about the pack and want to help without me even saying anything, right?"
"Unfortunately I do, but we'll cross that bridge when it comes. Until then, lips zipped." Derek says, winking at her before pulling the car away from the school.
Karson places her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she walks towards the two boys wrapping lacrosse gear on themselves. Looking around, she notices how peaceful it is right now on the field. Despite learning of an alpha pack being in town, Karson feels comfort knowing that Jackson was alive and well and Gerard was not at threat at the moment. Her brother was safe. She finally had friends who looked out for her. Karson was free. Stiles' jeep was parked in the middle of the field and Karson could see Scott and Stiles beginning to practice some lacrosse drills as she approached them.
"Look who finally decided to show up." Stiles mutters, grinning from ear to ear at Karson. Scott waves at her from a distance, standing in front of the goal.
"Hey, I was busy with other things." Karson replies, shrugging her shoulders.
"Do those other things concern Derek?" Scott asks, immediately covering his mouth with his hand as if he wasn't supposed to say that.
"Who told you?" Karson narrows her eyes at Scott and then at Stiles.
"Your brother might seem quiet from a distance, but he sure can be a talker." Stiles responds, throwing his hands up dramatically. Karson runs a hand down her face and sighs loudly.
"Don't be embarrassed. At least one of us is happy." Scott says, trying to plaster a smile on and failing.
"Allison and you broke up?"
Scott nods his head at Karson, twirling his lacrosse stick in hand repeatedly. Karson isn't surprised, considering Allison just lost her mother and her grandfather turned out to be a psychopath. She probably just needs time to adjust. Allison likes to play the tough card around everyone, but Karson can see right through that. She practically invented that card. Despite Scott being upset, Karson knows that it is best for the both of them to take a break from each other. A lot has happened in the past couple of weeks, but Karson is aware that just because they broke up doesn't mean they are over for good. You cannot stop loving someone overnight.
"Maybe it's for the best right now. Doesn't mean you won't find your way back to one another." Karson says, offering a soft smile his way which he accepts. "Anyways, why'd you two drag me out here?"
"What? We aren't cool enough for you to hang around?" Stiles chuckles, cradling a ball in his stick before shouting, "Somebody, call Derek!"
Karson goes to smack his shoulder in annoyance, lightly jogging after Stiles as he tries to escape the abuse. Stiles eventually surrenders, panting from being out of breath. Karson places her hands on her hips as she waits for an answer.
"We wanted to see how you are doing." Scott says, bouncing a ball on the ground a couple of times. "You are our friend, and a part of this pack whether you like it or not. We care about you."
Karson feels a certain warmth erupt in her chest from Scott's words. Issac and her have only ever had each other so it is foreign to her that other people genuinely show concern for her. "I'm doing fine. Just glad all of the Kanima and Jackson is finally over. How are you guys?"
"Ah, we're living the dream." Stiles winds up with his stick and releases his shot at Scott who easily catches the ball. "Still alive and terrible at lacrosse."
"Hey, you know what I just realized?" Scott says, smiling to himself. "I'm right back where I started."
"What do you mean?" Karson chuckles.
"I mean, no lacrosse. No popularity. No girlfriend. Nothing." Scott replies.
"Dude, you still got me!" Stiles says, clearly offended.
"I had you before."
"Yeah, and you still got me, okay?"
"You got me now, too!" Karson says, sticking her pointer finger up at Scott. Stiles nods his head in agreement and adds, "It's a life fulfilled."
"Very." Scott chuckles to himself.
"Now, remember-- no wolf powers." Stiles says, cradling the ball in his stick again.
"Got it."
"No, I meant it! No super-fast reflexes, no super-eyesight, no hearing-- none of that crap, okay?"
"Okay. Come on!"
"You promise?"
"Would you just take the shot already?"
Karson laughs at the bickering between the two boys. As she looks between the two of them, she can't help but think about how lucky she is to have them in her life. When Issac first turned Karson had no idea what the hell to do or who to trust, but Scott and Stiles made it their mission to seek her out and make sure she had support. Without them, she wouldn't know what it feels like to be included and cared for. Karson smiles at these thoughts before snagging Stiles' stick and attempting to score some goals. As she shoots at the goal, Karson notices Scott's eyes glowing yellow, which causes her to shout at him.
"Stiles said no wolf powers!"
*********************************
The town of Beacon Hills resembles a light-up Christmas tree from Karson and Issac's view on Look-Out Point at the preserve. From here, they can't hear the hustle and bustle of the town which offers Karson a certain amount of calmness. For once, her head is clear and her body isn't tense with uncertainty.
"You know everything is gonna be different from now on." Issac mutters, making his sister turn to face him.
"Yeah." Karson replies. "We're free."
"You really wanna stay here?" Issac asks Karson.
"If you asked me that a couple of months ago I would've said no. But now.." Karson sighs, smiling at him. "I can't imagine being anywhere else."
"Where you go, I go." Issac says, wrapping an arm around her shoulder to pull her close to him. "Besides, I think Beacon Hills is rubbing off on me."
"You know I'm proud of you, right?" Karson says, fixing her gaze up at her brother. "You are becoming exactly the person I knew you could always be. You're nothing like him."
Issac smiles down at Karson, moving to plant a kiss on her forehead. "You played a part in helping me become that person, big sister."
Karson leans the side of her head against Issac's shoulder and resumes her attention on the town. She can hear the steady beats of her brother's heart as he tightens his grip on her. "We're gonna be alright."
"Finally." Issac replies, smiling at Karson.
Karson inhales and exhales the longest breath she's ever taken as she looks up at the night sky. The moon is in the waxing crescent phase, signaling the cessation of the syzygy of the moon, sun, and earth, also known as the new moon. Her knowledge of the moon has expanded since her brother became a werewolf and since she couldn't be there for his first full moon, Karson has promised Issac that she will be there for the remaining full moons. With a little help from Derek of course. Karson is glad that Issac still has Derek to guide him through this time, especially now that they don't have to worry about getting killed by lizard people and psychotic killers. What doesn't sit well with Karson is the revelation of the alpha pack and how they will play a role in their lives.
However, Karson knows that they can handle it when that time comes. Right now, she is content with where Issac and she are at and that they finally have a place to call home; with people who have become their family. She knows that there will be future threats that come after them but with that thought in mind, Karson realizes she isn't scared. With her brother and friends at her side, Karson feels invincible against anything that might endanger their lives in Beacon Hills.
Whatever that might be.