"He lives here?" Eric asked. I nodded. "At his old house?" He asked. I nodded once again. "Really?"
"Yes," I answered aloud, annoyed. "Now are we going to stop in and say hello or just gawk at this place all day?"
"Well someone's snappy today," he scoffed. "It is that ti- ?"
"I swear to god if you say time of the month I will not hesitate to kick your little werewolf ass."
I glared at him before he finally nodded and got out of the car. I followed suit, slamming my door shut. Derek knew we were here. He had to have heard us pull up. I know he's here too, I can just feel it. I looked up towards the house. I saw Derek peering through an upstairs window, confirming my theory.
My boots crunched the dead grass underneath as Eric and I walked up to the door. My mind flashed back to thoughts of the house before it was charred to a crisp. It had always been one of the most beautiful houses in town, at least to me. It was never extravagant by any means, just simple. And sometimes simple can have the biggest impact.
"Derek?" I called out. "I know you're here. We need to talk."
"What do you want?" His voice rang from behind me. I turned to see him, dressed in all black, wearing a glare that would terrify anyone who didn't know that he was harmless. His mouth twitched when he saw Eric behind me. "Eric?"
Eric smirked, taking a step forward. "In the flesh and blood," he said, holding his arms open.
Derek scoffed. "Huh, I thought you'd be dead by now."
"Dead?" I questioned. What the hell was that supposed to mean? I figured that Derek knew about Eric being a werewolf, considering they were in the same pack and all, but why would he assume that he was dead?
"I guess I've just got a little more fight in me than you thought," said Eric, a cocky grin spread across his face. Derek scowled.
"Why are you back here, Eric?" Derek asked through gritted teeth.
"Same reason you are, Derek," he said, now pacing around Derek, only angering him more. "I'm here to figure out who killed Laura."
"And find your new alpha," added Derek.
Eric froze. His smirk fell into a scowl. For a moment I thought he was going to attack, but then his face softened. I noticed him swallow before striding over to stand next to me. He straightened his back, making himself appear even larger.
"And to protect my sister, because I know that you sure as hell can't." He corrected.
I stared at him, baffled at what he said. Why does he need to protect me? He knows that I can't get hurt. Unless there's more to this that he's not telling me. But big brother's are just supposed to look out for you right? It's like an instinct...
"Your sister and her dumb ass friends got me thrown in jail!" Derek exclaimed, the veins in his neck bulging.
"We had every reason to believe that you could've been the one to kill her!" I defended, surprised at the authority in my voice.
"You really think that I would kill my own sister? Just for a little power?" He said, looking me dead in the eye.
"She wouldn't be the first innocent life you've taken." I said.
Derek knew what I meant, and I knew that I had crossed a line. What happened all those years ago was never to be brought up, but I had to make my point. I felt my blood go cold at Derek's stare. He trusted me, and now I very well may have lost it.
We all stood in silence for a while. Derek kept trying to find words to say, but nothing would come out. I knew he was thinking. He was thinking about her. I wanted to hug him, tell him I was sorry and that I know he couldn't have been the one to kill Laura. But my limbs were immobile, glued to the ground and frozen in position.
Finally, Derek spoke. "Without me, Scott will start taking lives too."
"I can help him." I stated, having to clear my throat first.
"Really?" Derek said, moving closer to me. "You can train him on how to be a werewolf? You can teach him how to control his anger and his thirst without getting yourself ripped apart?"
I swallowed hard. "I can sure as hell try."
He scoffed, nearly rolling his eyes. He shook his head before finally stopping only inches away from me. "And what if it's not you he tears to shreds? What if it's his friend, Stiles? How would that make you feel?"
I felt my hands begin to shake. I thought about the incident in the locker room, when Scott had nearly killed the both of us. What if I hadn't been there? What if Stiles would have been...I tried to push the thought out of my mind, but Derek didn't have the same idea.
"You think I don't notice how your heartbeat picks up when you're around him? In fact, it's racing now, just at the thought of him." He smirked as I laid my hand across my chest, feeling the pounding that told me he was right. "If you want to protect him, keep him safe, then you need me."
If anything ever happened to Stiles I would feel completely empty. After Mom and Zoe died I needed someone to cling to, and Stiles gave me hope. I thought that if he could get through his mother's death and turn out alright, that I could too. He has no idea what he does for me.
I took a deep breath, collecting myself. "And what do you want in return?"
"What makes you think I want anything from you?" He asked. I could feel Eric glaring at him from behind me. I would have some explaining to do about Stiles later.
"Because protection never comes free." I stated.
Truthfully, I shouldn't owe Derek anything. Our families had made a promise with one another. My mother would give them information, legends and history of their kind, in exchange for protection. She knew that her knowledge put her at tremendous risk and they vowed to keep our family safe. Even after the fire Derek and Laura agreed that they would still watch over us. But they failed. Their end of the deal was broken when Mom and Zoe were killed. If anything, Derek owes me.
"You're right," he said. "I want him." He pointed at Eric. "If we're going to catch this new alpha, I'm going to need all the help I can get."
"Eric," I started.
"I'll do it," said Eric, cutting me off. "But just so we're clear, you're not my alpha. I don't have to follow all of your orders."
"You do if you want to live," said Derek. Once again I got the feeling that one of the two would lose their cool and pounce. My gut told me it would most likely be Eric, so I stepped in front of him.
"Look you two," I said, glancing from one irritated man to the other. "We're in this together, so now is not the time for a power struggle. You need to forget about your stupid egos and make decent use of yourselves."
They both looked to me, astonished at my outburst. Honestly, I was a little shocked too. Then again, I've been doing all kinds of uncharacteristic things lately. But it feels as though more things are changing than my social standings.
"And what about you, sis? Don't you have something you're keeping under wraps? Why don't you tell him...better yet, show him," said Eric. He indicated towards my lower abdomen. I couldn't believe he was throwing me under the bus like this. Derek looked at the two of us with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.
Almost as if it was a gift from God, my phone went off. The name on my screen caused my heart to swallow itself. I answered and took a few steps away from the two werewolves.
"Hello?" I said.
"Emma, Scott and I are going to the school in half an hour so he can try and refresh his memory on the bus. We need you to come with us," said Stiles, his voice anxious.
I could feel the stares from behind me. "Um, I'm a little busy at the moment..."
"Great, I'll pick you up in fifteen minutes." He said, completely ignoring my opposition.
"Stiles, I said - " But he had already hung up. I guess I didn't have much of a choice now. I groaned and turned back to the boys, putting my attention on Derek. "Scott was here earlier, wasn't he?"
He smirked once again. It made me want to hit him. "Looks like you don't have quite enough answers for him."
"And you do?" I snapped.
"You know in theory what it's like to be a werewolf. I am one. I'm the one he needs to go to. I can give him first hand advice on how to handle his new little 'gift'," said Derek.
I was livid with anger. I knew they could both feel my pulse rising. I wanted them to know I was angry. I was about to go off on Derek when I stopped myself. Whether I liked the idea or not, I needed him. And that means keeping him on good terms.
"Just keep them safe," I requested. "Come on, Eric. I need to get home."
I began walking back to the car before I realized I was doing it alone. I turned around to see my brother standing shoulder to shoulder with Derek. I gave him a pleading look, yet still he stayed.
"You go," he said. "We have more to talk about. Besides, I wouldn't want to intrude on your date with the Sheriff's son."
I bit my lip and and shook my head at his comment. "It's no where near a date."
"But it's a start."
I gave a weak smile and a slight nod. I continued walking to my car. This feeling shouldn't be anything new. The feeling of being left behind, of being alone. Yet it still stung. I suppose I just thought that Eric coming back meant he was back for good, that things could go back to normal. He could be my brother again. But per usual in my family, werewolf things come first.
☼
Just as I pulled into my driveway, Stiles showed up as well. To my surprise, he was alone. He waved for me to get in so I exited my car and hopped into his blue jeep. He seemed more anxious than usual, making me wonder how much Adderall he'd consumed in the past twenty-four hours.
"Where's Scott?" I asked.
"We're going to pick him up now," he said.
I thought about why on earth Stiles would pick me up before Scott. Then I realized that Scott lived closer to the school and it wouldn't make much sense to back track to my house. Although, a part of me hoped Stiles had a different thought process.
I was still recovering from being abandoned by my brother. I slumped into my seat, folding my arms across my chest. The idea of Derek somehow manipulating my brother just didn't settle well with me.
It took us all of two minutes to arrive at Scott's, where he was already waiting outside for us. Stiles sent me a somewhat apologetic look. I rolled my eyes, groaned, and flung myself into the back. One of these damn days I was going to make wolf-boy sit back here. Let's see how his long legs like it.
Being cramped only put me in a worse mood than I was already in. I knew it was only a matter of time before I snapped at someone. And by snap, I mean tear their head of with words. I'm not exactly the most lovely person to be around sometimes. Maybe that's why people isolate me.
"So you really think this is going to work?" Stiles asked Scott as he drove.
"Derek said the only way to remember was to go back, see it...feel it," said Scott. He ran his fingers through his mop of dark hair. I could sense his uneasiness. He was afraid of what his memories would tell him. He was afraid of the truth.
"And we're going to trust Derek because...?"
"Because Derek knows what he's talking about." I said. The boys looked back at me with strange expressions. I let out an irritated sigh. "He's been a werewolf since he was born. From what I know Scott's been one all of two weeks. I think he's got an advantage."
The boys dropped the conversation there. Part of me felt bad for being so sassy to Stiles, another part of me felt satisfied. I pulled nervously at my hair for the rest of the drive.
We arrived near the school, where the crime scene was. Stiles parked amongst the trees, turning his headlights off as he did so. The building appeared dark and completely empty, which wasn't much of a surprise considering the late hour. There was a tall chain link fence surrounding the area.
Stiles cut the engine, sending us into a stale silence. The boys got out quickly. I struggled to follow, crawling my way over the seats. My right leg tangled itself around the headrest of the passenger seat and for a moment I thought it would snap, but someone pulled it over with ease.
"Thanks," I muttered, looking up to see Scott. He gave a small smile before turning to Stiles, who was trying to make his way up and over the fence.
"Wait no, just me," he said, pulling Stiles back. "Someone needs to keep watch."
"Can't Emma do it?" Stiles whined. I had made it out of the jeep at this point. I glared at Stiles for his words. "I'm always the guy keeping watch!"
"And what exactly do you think you're going to do once you get to the bus, huh, Stiles? It needs to be just Scott." I said firmly.
"Well there you have it," said Scott, hiding a smile.
Stiles sighed, running a hand over his mouth. "Okay, why is it starting to feel like you're Batman and I'm Robin? I don't want to be Robin all the time!"
This kid was unbelievable. I tried t remind myself why the hell I was even attracted to him. I mean, who compares a situation like this to comic book characters? Apparently Stiles Stilinski, the boy who's occupied my thoughts for the past three years.
"Nobody's Batman and Robin any of the time!" Scott exclaimed, looking somewhat confused at Stiles's comparison.
"Not even some of the time?" Stiles asked, his face falling.
"Just stay here," ordered Scott, almost annoyed as myself.
"Oh my god!" Stiles groaned before stomping back to the jeep. If I wasn't in such a sour mood I may have thought his little fit was cute, but right now I kind of want to run him over with his own damn jeep.
I followed behind him. He slammed his door when he got in, pouting that he didn't get to join Scott on his little adventure. I mimicked his actions when I reached the passenger seat, although for different reasons. He glared out the window, his lips pursed.
After a minute of cold silence, he finally realized that I too was pouting. His expression changed when he looked over at me. "What's got you so worked up?"
I inhaled deeply, staring straight ahead. I really wasn't up for talking about my feelings at the moment. I just wanted to be left alone, and it's unusual for me not to be. So, when Stiles once again pressed on the subject of my irritation, I finally told him the truth. Although, I managed to stay much calmer than I had expected.
"My brother's home." I said. No part of my body moved aside from my lips.
"So?" asked Stiles. "Is that a bad thing?"
I turned my neck to look at him, a scowl permanently etched onto my face. I contemplated telling him then and there, but chose against it. I couldn't even tell him my secret, let alone my brother's. And as betrayed as I felt by Eric, I could never give away his true identity without his consent. That would be the greatest form of betrayal.
"He left after the accident. His graduation was the last time we'd heard from him." I said.
"Aren't you happy he's home, since you haven't seen him in so long?" He asked. I knew that Stiles wasn't this stupid. His question only angered me more.
"Not exactly,"
"What's so bad about him then?"
I'd about had enough with the damn questions at this point. I shook my head. "You have no idea."
Stiles then said something that caught me completely off guard. It made not just my heart but my skin flutter as well, if that's even possible. His two words lifted my spirit. They made me realize that maybe being alone isn't the best way to deal with your problems after all.
"I'm sorry,"
"Why?" The word slipped my tongue before I had any chance of stopping myself. I flinched after I said it, showing Stiles that I meant nothing by it. Although I don't think he noticed.
"Because no one else ever is."
I was about to question when a light caught both of our eyes. Stiles jumped in his seat, immediately pounding his hand on the horn. He did this repeatedly, trying to get Scott's attention as quick as possible.
A figure made it's way out of the bus. Scott darted across the parking lot, sliding across the hood of an SUV. He jumped onto the roof and over the fence, landing on the ground with ease. Maybe he gets his werewolf abilities after all.
I scrambled into the back as usual before Scott made his way into the jeep. "Go, go, go!" He yelled.
Stiles obeyed, screeching his tires as he backed up and sped away. I barely got myself adjusted before I was flung back by Stiles slamming on the gas. I really needed to teach this boy how to drive without murdering all of his passengers.
"Did it work? Did you remember?" Stiles asked frantically.
"Yeah," said Scott, out of breath. "I was there last night. And the blood...a lot of it was mine."
"So did you attack him?" Stiles questioned. He was making me extremely nervous glancing from Scott to the road.
"No," Scott answered. "I saw glowing eyes on the bus. I think it was Derek."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
I couldn't believe that Derek would do such a thing. And if he did, why would he help Scott to remember? It's not like him. There's only one other werewolf it could of been -- had to have been.
"Did you see the driver?" Stiles asked, not giving Scott a chance to answer my question.
"I think I was actually trying to protect him," said Scott. He seemed unsure of his answer, but I knew it had to be true. Even though Scott is technically a blood thirsty creature of the night, I just don't think he would be the type to going around murdering innocent people.
"Wait, what?" Stiles asked.
"Getting into his pack, it's like an initiation. You kill with him," I explained, receiving quizzical looks from both of them.
"But I don't want to be in his pack!" exclaimed Scott.
"Which is exactly why you didn't kill him." I said. "You're not a killer, Scott."
His face lit up with this realization. "Which means I can go on my date with Allison!"
"Or that you won't try and murder us again, but I suppose that works too," said Stiles.
"Oh, right," said Scott sheepishly.
The guilt had begun tugging on me more than usual. I was beginning to feel that if I didn't confess soon I would surely explode. I was getting jittery. My throat felt as though it was closing. I thought I was going to pass out. My skin went cold as I began gasping for air.
Scott turned around with concern. "Emma? Are you alright? I can hear your heart beat picking up,"
I finally got enough air in my lungs to speak. "Go to my house, I need to tell you two something."
My head began spinning. I just needed to get this off my chest. They needed to know. They deserve to know. I steadied my breathing, still feeling light-headed. I was glad I was sitting down.
I noticed Stiles looking at me through the rear-view mirror. He knew what I had just experienced, I could tell by the sympathy in his copper-colored eyes. "Emma," he said slowly.
"I'm fine," I choked out. "Just go to my house."
He tried forcing the corners of his lips upward, but instead they only formed into a flat line. I appreciated his effort. It was all a part of the connection we shared. He too had panic attacks after his mother died. Although what I just went through wasn't a full-fledged panic attack, it was still terrifying. When you're having one you feel lost, out of control. Worst of all, you feel like dying.
Stiles pulled into my driveway, my car still the only one occupying it. I assumed that Dad and Melanie were out on a date. The thought itself made me internally groan.
Once we were all out of the jeep--me having to be practically be pulled out by Scott once again--I lead them into my mother's office. I noticed that Eric still wasn't home. That was alright, I wasn't exactly counting on his return anyways.
I paced the room, trying to muster up the courage to tell them my story, once and for all. "Emma?" said Stiles, looking at me with the same concern he had earlier.
I let out a breath. "You know that I'm different," I began. "You know that I can do something that a normal person should not be able to do,"
I hesitated. "You can heal yourself," added Stiles for me. I nodded.
"And now I want you to know how," I inhaled again, "and why."
I had to remind myself to keep breathing. I felt on the verge of an actual panic attack, but I just kept looking into Stiles's eyes. He kept me calm. I don't know if he realized that or not.
"The night my mom and sister died, it wasn't a deer that ran out in front of us." I spoke slowly. "It was a wolf. A werewolf, to be exact."
"What?" asked Scott, shocked. I ignored him and continued on.
"My mom and Zoe were killed on impact, but me...I was still holding on. I was moments away from death when the same creature that had killed two of the most important people in my life ripped my door off. I thought that it was the end. It loomed over me and I just remember it's eyes. They were ice blue, like they had lost something."
I shuddered at the memory. Tears were threatening my eyes, but I just looked to Stiles. He kept them away.
"Then," I stared off, remembering it exactly as it happened. "It bit me. But instead of feeling pain as I'd expected, I felt warmth. It spread from the bite throughout my body. Suddenly I didn't hurt anymore. My vision was cleared and any open wound I'd acquired was gone. But there was one mark that still hasn't healed itself to this day..."
My hands shook as I lifted the bottom on my denim shirt, exposing the rows of teeth marks that were still engraved into my skin. I looked up to see disbelief in the boys' eyes. Their jaws hung open as they stared at my scar.
"They say that the bite either turns you," I swallowed, "or it kills you."
Scott looked into my eyes. "But you're not a werewolf, I can tell."
"I know," I said. I let go of my shirt, letting it cover my wound again. "I don't have an exact explanation for this, considering there's no other stories of something of this nature happening. I only have my own theory."
"Which is?" asked Stiles.
"I was as good as dead when I was bitten, so I may have only had enough life in my to acquire the healing power of a werewolf. Which would explain why I healed after I was bitten, but never turned." I said.
"But why didn't the bite itself heal?" asked Scott. "Mine did,"
"Because I'm not a full werewolf." I explained. "Scott, you were bitten by an alpha. Only they can turn humans. But me, the wolf that bit me was a beta."
"What does that mean?"
I sighed. "It means I'm lucky."
We were silent for a moment as I let the news sink in with the boys. Then something hit Scott. "You said that you're wounds always heal right away, but mine take at least a few minutes if not longer. How is that possible?"
I seemed to be on a roll with the truth, I might as well keep it coming. "It didn't used to be this way. My cuts and bruises would sometimes take up to hours to heal. But, as of late, I've felt myself grow stronger. My wounds heal within seconds."
"So why now?"
"Because the wolf that bit me is no longer a beta." I paused. "He's The Alpha."
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Thanks so much for reading!
Sorry about the wait. This was my first full week of school so homework and softball have taken over my life. I try to write at night, but I'm just exhausted.
I've put off writing my personal narrative for Writing and Research to do this chapter. So now I'm going to stay up until the wee hours of the morning working on it. The things I do for you lovely people.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Emma finally revealed her secret to Scott and Stiles, thoughts?
(Emma's outfit in external link as always) And gif credit to fuckyeahdemonedits on Tumblr. That is Grey Damon who plays Eric Brisbane.
Thanks again and don't forget to comment, vote, and fan!
xoxoxoxxoxox
-Alyssa
Edited 1/5/14