chapter one: the beta.
The body lay torn and cut amongst the creaking trees, the leaves around the stale corpse crackled as foreign feet ascended upon them. Dogs howled in the distance and light leaked through the cracks in the trees; they were stealthy and as silent as they could be. Mumbled voices seeped through radios as thunder rumbled overhead, was the storm fleeting? Or had it only just begun?
Birds scurried from privies of the woods, bellows of wild animals beckoned them to leave - to escape the torment of the impending humans and wolves. The obsidian sky was lonely that night, the moon hidden behind a veil of dusk and the stars taken leave. Animals of the woods shrieked with all the strength they could to warn those foolish enough to enter that nothing good would follow. The deer hurried their legs moving as fast as they could, they knew of the being that lurked in the shadowy ridges of the woods.
Rose who stood tall despite the circumstances watched from afar, the ledge that hung over the hallowed ground granted her to see everything she wished. The girl did not miss the boy trampled by the deer nor did she miss his discovery - the body she had been vigilant for. In one mighty leap, Rose found herself amongst the decaying woodland following the faint smell of blood and the musk of the boy whose eyes had seen the body. The boy who had stumbled was long gone but Rose was too focused on the half of the body, her mind was clouded and her emotions unstable. She peered down already afraid of the sight that would welcome her, there laid Laura Hale - one of the two kind souls she had met in her whole entire life. Laura's eyes were wide open, staring deeply within Rose making her soul bare, it was as if the moon herself was looking deeply and vacantly down onto her. Rose shuddered as fear possessed her, whoever had killed Laura was going to come for Rose too.
The black girl bent down, her hands gently squeezing Laura's lifeless eyes shut, words were on the cusps of Rose's lips but she never shed light on her words. The endless sound of screeching and screaming punctured her ears making her automatically clutch her head in pain. It must have been him, the boy who had led Rose to an unseeable sight. The smell of fresh blood flooded her senses, momentarily blinding her from everything but once she had taken a deep breath Rose's legs began moving as fast as they could to find and help the boy. She followed the scent of him throughout the pulsing heart of the woods, she chased shadows and scurried after him akin to a predator.
Rain had started to pour and Rose began slowing down as the trail of the boy began growing cold after only a few minutes. Her training with such powers as tracking were not in the developed stages so she stopped for rest hoping to spot the boy nearby but she had no such luck. Rose wanted to help but whoever it was that she was trying to offer aid to was long gone and there was nothing she could do now. It was time for Rose to face what she had seen in the woods, the pale lifeless body of a friend.
A howl distanced Rose from her grief, the howl of a wolf. Rose swallowed thickly knowing she was exposed and knew the wolf would come for her if not that night then some other time. Rose could no longer stand, still griefing nor thinking her legs began to move again picking up the pace to escort her far away from the woods and the supernatural being that was surely hunting her. She was the prey.
Rose ran until she no longer could, physically she could have kept running until she reached the ends of Earth but her emotional state was unbalanced and the repercussions were beginning to be felt by the young black girl. Rose was half away across town and she knew that in her current state she would not be able to go any further to reach him, she would have to call him and deliver the news.
Tears filled Roses' eyes as he reached deep within her pocket and dialled a number that was everchanging. After five attempts at calling, Derek picked up, "What happened Rose?" He asked knowing that she only called when it was an emergency.
"S-she was right Derek, Laura was right about the alpha. She was right." Rose stuttered into the phone barely keeping herself from a breakdown, tears slipped past and down her cheeks.
Rose didn't miss the sound of Derek inhaling sharply as he asked once again, "What happened Rose?" She couldn't answer it and as soon as the question passed his lips and she heard it she broke down not knowing how to tell Derek what had happened to his sister.
After a few moments of silence Rose replied, "The alpha killed her, they found half of her body in the woods. I saw her myself and I heard it - the alpha's howl. She was right Derek, Laura was right about everything."
"Are you okay?" Derek asked automatically and Rose nodded shakily despite the fact that Derek could not see her.
"Y-yes, just shaken." Rose responded trembling as she spoke, it was hard to speak when all she wanted to was to weep over the death of a person so beloved to her. She knew that Derek did too no matter how much he acted void of all emotions.
"Go to the house Rose, I'll be there soon." Derek said.
"Okay." Rose said before hanging up the phone. She didn't move however to go the house instead she quivered as she dropped to the floor, Rose let herself cry tenderly as her mind showed glimpses of Laura dead on the forest floor. Like many images from the full moon, she would not be able to escape what she saw that night.
☽
All darkness held captive by the sky had been released and in its wake came the welcoming light that Rose tried to lift her spirits with. Luck was never in Rose's favour but when Derek arrived she seemed to think otherwise. Rose was foolish at times. Derek had come trying to comfort not only himself but also Rose who he deemed needed it more than he did.
Rose was deep in the woods accompanied by a stream of water as she climbed upon rocks following a faint scent, it was the scent of the boy at the woods only the other day but this time it was different. Rose could not deny how the lycanthrope nature of him and his musk, it grew stronger with the thick aroma of fear that was lingering in Rose's nostrils. The boy moved quickly, too quickly for just a normal teenage boy - Rose knew that she and the boy whoever he was were exactly like each other. Rose walked carefully trying not to alert the boy of her presence, he was half-naked without a shirt as he wandered aimlessly with some attempt to go home.
The young werewolf was only a few feet behind the boy, her eyes drifting upwards towards the sky where the sun in its mightiest form hung high. Rose was grateful for the coming of day, the night sky always seemed to taunt her but the beautiful glowing light of day brought her such comfort she could have died and been a happy girl; she could lay with Laura and all would be right in the world.
Rose quickened her pace fearing she would lose the boy to her own insignificant thoughts about the sky that looked down on all of us. Her movement was detected instantly by the boy who swivelled around on his heel staring at Rose, just one look and already his eyes would not dare tear away from the sight before him. Her sweet melodic heartbeat rang his head like a forgotten favourite, he gulped audibly trying to strain himself - to try and not make a fool out of himself in front of the pretty girl. He suddenly became exposed his eyes casting down to his shirtless torso and instantly pink hues lined his cheeks like soldiers.
"Are you okay?" Rose's heartbeat no longer filled his thoughts but rather her voice laced with concern and a degree of tenderness that made him shiver. Why? He did not know but he was not afraid of her.
He realised she had asked him a question and felt almost stupid for taking so long to collect himself and answer. "I'm fine. I must have been sleepwalking." He replied flashing Rose a small smile but she wasn't convinced, the sound of his heart beating loud and erratic.
" Do you need some -" Rose's sentence was interrupted by the incessant beeping a blue jeep on the road beside Rose and the boy. His eyes wandered to the driver of the Jeep and sighed.
"I was going to ask if you needed help at all but you've got it," Rose said eyes wiggling towards the boy's friend in his Jeep waiting somewhat patiently. The boy nodded a grateful smile on his face his eyes flickering towards the car and Rose.
"I should go." Rose said smiling back at the unknown boy he watched as she turned around not once looking back despite how he was intently staring at and waiting for her to. She never did instead continued down the path; the boy waited until he could no longer see her silhouette in the distance and then got inside the car eyes still fixated on the direction Rose had gone in.
Rose ventured again into the woods her mind flashing to glimpses images of the boy she had seen. He was unlike the rest, there was no werewolf like him Rose was sure of that just the way he appeared and his scent so unusual. It made Rose wonder who had given him his powers and how powerful was the idle boy. It must have been the alpha; Rose pondered over that thought as she sunk further into the woods, the crackling sound of leaves following her as she walked.
Something else followed her, someone else; the continuous thump of a heartbeat pounding within a chest filled the abnormal silence of the woods. Nothing and no animal made even the slightest of noises but Rose and the sound of a heart close to bursting out of a chest, the sound so amplified it made Rose want to collapse in agony.
It wasn't her own heartbeat, it was foreign and left terror in its wake. Rose swerved her head in every direction trying to find the culprit but no one was around, she seemed to be all alone in the now suddenly gloomy light of day. All happiness associated with the sun was gone and to Rose, it felt as if the moon hung in the sky, pain and dismay would follow under its orders. Nothing good would come, Rose was sure of it.
But then it was gone and all that Rose could hear was the audible sound of her own heart beating rapidly, the noise blinding as she made her way through the woods. She was close to the house when a tentative voice called out her name, the voice despite how gentle it was still remained coarse in hues that Rose knew like the back of her hand.
Rose spun briskly her eyes taking in the sudden appearance of Derek, the smell of anger washed over Rose' senses in waves emitting from Derek who balled his fist in displeasure. "Did you see him?" Derek asked abruptly making Rose quirk an eyebrow in confusion, Derek sighed pinching the bridge of his nose briefly before clarifying, "The beta." In an instant Rose' gut wrenched for the boy she had seen that day and the other night in the woods, she knew Derek's plan for him would no doubt send him down a lurid passage.
Rose stood stall and took a deep breath before answering Derek in the lightest tone she could muster, "I did, why?" She asked although a part of her feared the answer, the boy was seemingly innocent and he did not deserve the fate Rose feared Derek would thrust upon him with no regret whatsoever.
An unnerving silence passed between Derek and Rose until Derek eventually spoke up the movement of his lips making Rose fear the worst, "His name's Scott Mccall and I thought we could pay him a visit." Derek replied earning a deep sigh from Rose.
"What are you planning Derek?" Rose questioned because she knew Derek's intentions weren't as pure as her's, there was something dark within him and Derek dismissed from being hidden, unlike Rose who tried her hardest to keep her demons at bay.
Derek chuckled slightly, "Don't worry about it." He said instantly making Rose angry.
"With you Derek I always worry especially when you look like you're about to murder someone." Rose said in response making Derek shake his head, he had heard this from Rose more than once.
"Do you trust me?" Derek pondered and Rose narrowed her eyes at him knowing full well the game he was playing with her, she would not fall into his trap.
"You know I do Derek but don't be an asshole and do this. He's just a kid like me, it doesn't matter who or what turned him." Rose said crossing her arms and standing her ground knowing full well of Derek's unadmitted soft spot for her.
"I'm not going to harm him," Derek confessed.
Although Rose did not entirely believe him and she was sure he didn't believe himself she asked, "Then what are you going to do?"
Derek smirked at her as he used to when he was little and him and Laura came up with a devious plan that always got them in trouble. "You'll see."
☾
Pale moonlight shone through voids in the woods illuminating the misty scenery Rose was accustomed to. Derek stood by Rose's side as her mind wandered as to what Derek had planned, all she knew was the increasing sound of growls approaching. Anger radiated throughout the woods flooding Rose's sense, it was the beta - Scott, the boy she had seen in the exact same setting only a few nights ago. Whatever Derek did had worked but Rose was still on edge about what Derek was yet to do. Would he help Scott? Or would Derek only help himself?
"Where is she?" Scott growled out a demand and Derek nodded at Rose; the two began nearing Scott in his most fragile state, Rose could tell he was not only lost but pining over something or someone. That inescapable fact made sadness sweep over Rose who not had such a feeling in such a long time.
Yellow eyes blurred Rose's vision momentarily as she looked upon Scott and for the second time that day he was shirtless wondering the wide expanse of the woods. "She's safe - from you," Derek replied and Scott's head swivelled around and before Rose could intervene Derek had tackled the unsuspecting beta to the ground.
"Derek!" Rose screamed at him in annoyance but he didn't listen instead he held Scott up against a tree in pure rage, his grip on Scott's bare chest tightening as Rose told him to stop his foolishness.
"What did you do with her?" Scott asked and as he did, Rose stiffened; the sound of footsteps and heartbeats she had memorised rung through her hears like a warning bell. Imminent danger lurked as silent as it could in the woods.
"Derek!" Rose whispered yelled hoping they couldn't hear although she knew it was too late.
Derek turned around his attention as well as Scott's attention fixed upon her, Scott recognised her gentle but tired features as well as the sound of her heart beating hastily in her chest. It was not as slow and sweet as it was when he saw her in the light of the sun but as the light of moon shone down on her it turned violent and erratic.
"They're in the woods" Rose managed to splutter out as silent as she could.
Scott was about to speak up but Derek intervened, "Ssh, be quiet." Derek said but like Rose, he knew there was no use.
"Too late, they're here. Run." Derek said relinquishing his grip on Scott, his words aimed directly to Rose and not all to Scott. As soon as the words left Derek's mouth Rose ran as fast as she could following Derek as she did, as soon as they were in the clear they came to a stop as the sound of Scott screaming out in agonising hit them like a blow to the face.
Derek rolled his eyes and Rose knew he was planning on leaving Scott but she wouldn't let that happen. No deserved to be caught by the hunters, especially not the infamous Argents. "We are going to help him." Rose said and Derek shook his head in protest.
"I don't care Derek and I didn't ask just do it," Rose said her anger spiking and her eyes flashing the colour of her monstrous form. Derek sighed but he still ran towards the terror Scott was facing alongside Rose.
Mist surrounded the woods and the hunters that now occupied it, the scene ominous and eery as Rose and Derek tore away the weak hunters from their leader - Chris. Their backs slamming with a thump against the trees, they cried out in pain which Rose and Derek knew they deserved. Whilst Derek had Chris distracted Rose quickly pulled an arrow from Scott's arms pulling him free from being captive by the Argents.
Rose, Derek and Scott ran until the latter collapsed heaving using a tree trunk for support. His breathing shallow as he leaned back against the tree trying hardest not to breakdown completely. "Who were they?" Scott asked once he had enough time to collect himself.
"Hunters," Rose answered as Scott's eyes went wide, Rose smiled at him knowing the explanation would no doubt perplex him but so would many aspects of his new life. "They've kind of been hunting us for centuries," Rose explained but she could tell Scott was still bewildered.
"Us?" He spat bitterly. "You mean you and him. He did this to me!" Scott exclaimed and Rose looked towards Derek shaking her head in slight irritation.
"Is it really so bad, Scott? That you can see better, hear more clearly, move faster than any human could ever hope?" Derek asked and Rose's mind sunk deeper into the depths of despair; the bite was a curse in Rose's mind but to others like Derek the bite was a gift. "You've been something that most people would kill for," Derek said and Rose knew what exactly what words Derek would utter next.
"The bite is a gift."
Rose didn't think so but neither did Scott, "I don't want it." Rose swallowed thickly at his reply, she looked at him and she saw herself at when she first turned so afraid of everything and everyone but most of all afraid of herself.
"You will," Derek said but he didn't look at Scott as he did but rather cast his eyes in Rose's direction looking at her with a degree of sadness that made it feel as if she was being stabbed over and over again. Derek turned his attention back to Scott and said, "and you're going to need me if you want to learn how to control it."
Derek leaned his arm against the tree Scott had his back on and said, "So you and me Scott, we're brothers now." Derek let go and walked away, Rose did too her mind overtaken with thoughts she wished never existed. She would have helped Scott but what use was she if she couldn't even help herself most days? Rose and Derek retreated back to the safe confines of the house all whilst Rose felt as if the moon was mocking her yet again for being so weak that even the absent stars would have laughed at her too.