Huntress [Derek Hale] [Teen Wolf]

Chapter 26

Two weeks have passed since Chris and Peter returned; both struggled for nearly a week before being stable enough to discuss what happened. They were sparse with the information they shared, or maybe it was just in front of me. They seemed to stop talking when I would enter the room or change the subject quickly. I would ask Derek if they said anything to him that they hadn't to me, which he would answer no. I could tell he was lying.

Today I was going to visit Chris on my own, Derek was going into the shop, and I didn't worry about telling anyone else I was going. Parking outside Chris's house, I smiled, seeing that no one else was there. There was no knocking, Chris wasn't going to get out of bed to greet me at the door, and I've had been told many times that there wasn't a reason to knock, that I was welcome in the home whenever I wanted.

"Chris?" I called into the house as I entered the living room. A few seconds later, a reply came from upstairs, jogging up and into Chris' room with a knock before I entered.

"Well, look who it is," Chris laughed, seeing me properly for the first time in weeks.

"Look who's alive." I shot back, taking a seat on the bed next to him. "How're you feeling? The last time I saw you, I thought you were a goner."

"Feeling better than before, not leaving this bed anytime soon. I've only gained bathroom privileges in the last week." He chuckled. "What's been going on in your world?" He was trying to keep me from asking about what happened. Fine, I'll play the game for a minute.

"Oh, you know, taking care of Derek, finding out I'm Derek's mate, being extra cautious about going out because the last time we did that, he almost died. Just Beacon Hill's things from my understanding." I casually explain.

"You're kidding?" Chris laughed, shaking his head. "And to think, when you first got here, you were sort of on a mission to kill him."

I smile, remembering my first couple of days in Beacon Hills. "I know. Now I'm just looking to kill whoever nearly killed the both of you and for someone to finally tell me what the hell happened while you were gone. Since people have been walking on eggshells around me since you got back." There it was, no more skating around the subject I came here for.

Chris' face dropped slightly at the subject change. He took a deep breath, "I asked them to do that, Dani." He paused, running his gauze-covered hand over his face. "You needed to hear what happened from me, and I wasn't strong enough to tell you at first. I needed time to heal and get my thoughts together, so I asked everyone not to say anything."

"So every time I asked Derek if he knew anything, he was lying to me. God, Chris, every time I came anywhere near this house, just to see you, everyone stopped talking and made it seem like you couldn't have visitors, yet the whole damn pack was here." I stood from my spot next to him, running my hands through my hair in frustration.

"Dani, there's so much more to it than you even want to know about." Chris sighed.

"I'm a big girl Chris. I can handle it; I've already lost one family, I'm not about to lose the one that I've been building. I can't handle losing you, or Scott, or anyone from this damn town. We all know what will happen if I lose Derek, so whatever you are trying to keep from telling me, I need to know."

"It's Gerard. He's outsourced some hunters that work with werewolves and other supernatural creatures. Those three thugs in the forest were simple hunter underlings, nothing more. They did what they were told; they planted all of that wolfsbane and took care of it for months, long before you ever got here. Gerard had a plan in motion, and when you talked about wanting to find me and find whoever killed your family, he thought it would make his plan move even faster." Chris' voice broke as he explained what he'd learned.

"So it's my fault." I sigh.

"No, no, it is not your fault Dani." Chris grabbed my arm, turning me to look at him.

"How is it not? Even if I didn't plant that wolfsbane, I walked Derek right into it. Then I took you and Stiles to it, leading you and Peter to go after those hunters and nearly get killed. It is my fault, Chris." I felt tears begin to cascade down my cheek as Chris pulled me into his arms.

"We would have found out sooner or later Dani, you were just unlucky in the situation."

"My whole life's been unlucky."