Ansley McCall

Chapter 2

After she was released from the hospital, Ansley was kept on strict lockdown by her mother who took the next couple days off, even though she kept insisting that she was fine. On the third day, her mom had to return back to work, giving Ansley the chance to do what she had been wanting to do since Scott told her that Derek was back in town. Once her mom left for work, and Scott left for school, She grabbed her keys and went out to her car, driving the all too familiar route to the Hale House. She wasn't sure that he would even be at the house since it was partially burnt and held the memories of losing all of his family.

As she pulled up to the large house, she smiled at the sight of a black Camaro parked in front of the house. She parked beside it and got out of the car, quietly shutting the door behind her. She had started to notice her senses becoming stronger, being able to smell the squirrel that she could hear running through the woods, but there was no noise coming from the house. She walked up to the porch, looking through the broken windows for any signs that Derek might be inside. She had her hand on the door knob to open it when she heard the quick, but quiet footsteps come up behind her. She turned around to see her childhood best friend staring at her in shock.

Ansley didn't say anything as she ran to him, tears falling to her cheeks at everything that was happening. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. He didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around her, hugging her back. They stood like that for many moments before she heard Derek take a deep breath. "What are you doing here? I thought you were out of state for college?" Derek pulled back to look at her, his eyes holding the pain that she could only guess that he was feeling.

"I moved back about a week ago," she told him, looking down.

"Please tell me what I smell is just from your brother," his voice was just a whisper as he gently lifted her chin to meet her eye.

Ansley shook her head. "I was in the woods with him the same night. I fell down a hill and it bit me when I hit a tree." Derek wrapped his arms around her again. "Do you know who it is?"

"No," Derek told her. "Whoever it was lured Laura in to take the power from her. You fight his call. You do not have to kill with him, you have a choice."

"What?" She muttered as she looked up at him again. "What are you talking about?"

"Scott didn't tell you?" Derek asked her.

"No, he hasn't really told me much of anything."

"You haven't felt a draw towards someone? Maybe even wake up in the woods?" Derek watched her, taking her confusion as a sort of relief.

Ansley shook her head again. "No, I haven't. Should I be?"

Derek watched her for another moment. "Sometimes an alpha will make its betas kill before it will allow them to become part of its pack. You either kill, or it will kill you. Scott has been fighting it."

"I haven't felt anything," she told him. What looked like fear crossed his face as his hand started to feel down your arm. "I'm not dying. The bite has already healed and I feel fine."

"Good," Derek said as he released a breath that neither of them realized he was holding. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Tonight?" Ansley asked him, confused.

"Tonight is the full moon," Derek told her. "I will help you if you would like. Your brother doesn't seem too keen on the idea though."

Ansley nodded. It was just like her brother to not understand the full picture or listen to the people who know what is going on. "Please, I'd rather not join a pack when I don't know who the alpha is."

Derek gave her a small nod. "Can you do me a favor? Try to stop Scott from going to that party tonight."

"I'll try," she told him. "How can I get a hold of you?" She felt his hand slip into her jacket pocket and pull out her phone.