Pure × Isaac Lahey

17.

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        "Do you know?"

        Elora looked up from her laptop, Isaac coming through the window of her apartment. She lifted an eyebrow, "You know, there is a door."

        Isaac ruffled his hair, shutting the window behind him. "Elora, do you know where Derek is?"

        Elora licked her bottom lip absently, closing the lid of her computer. "Look, we don't need to talk about it."

        "Yes, we do," he said. "He's been gone for two days."

        "That's the minimum. It's a practice of the Hale pack. He only needs time to heal."

        "Boyd is dead, El."

        "That's the point." She stood up. "He'll come back when he's ready."

       "Do you know where he is?" Isaac repeated, "You never answered my question."

        "Yes, I know where he is," Elora said a little flatly, sliding the chemistry tests she'd graded to the side. "No I'm not going to tell you. I only know enough to go find him if something goes wrong."

        "Is all of your family so vague?" Isaac wanted to be angry, but he couldn't. "He can't just up and leave."

        "He can and he did. He'll come back, he just needs time."

       "Why are you all so secretive?"

       "Family genes." El only gave a half smile. "Give it another day or so. He'll be back."

       Isaac only gave a soft nod, wringing his hands together absently. "Can I get a hint?"

       "Why are you so curious about where he is?" Elora questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Is it that important to you?"

        "I just, I prefer to know where people are." Isaac was clearly resisting something. "I didn't know where my brother was when he died and now it's kind of a psychological thing."

        "Okay, if it makes you feel better, he's at our lake house. Alright?" She was void of condescendence in her voice, honestly concerned for him. "It's maybe half an hour from here."

        Isaac rubbed the back of his neck, "Thanks."

        "Do you want anything to drink?" Concern flitted through Elora, sensing the mood on him. "Isaac, are you okay?"

        "I, uh," he spoke after denying the drink offer, "how come we never talked about it?"

        "And you're calling me vague?"

       Isaac gave her a deflated expression, "I'm being serious. Is it different now?"

        "Is what different?" El knew exactly what he meant, but she asked anyway as she walked a little closer to him.

        "How you feel...about me." Isaac barely laughed at how he had to say it out loud. "Is it different now that you know Derek isn't actually dead?"

        "Derek doesn't have anything to do with how I feel about you, Isaac," Elora told him softly. "Sure, it might damage pursuing, but not feelings."

         Isaac felt his pulse race a bit more than usual, "And how do you feel about me?"

        "I feel..." El tapped her fingers on the table as she walked towards Isaac with slight hesitance. "Like I'm insane for liking someone who's seventeen years old and a beta werewolf in my overly protective cousin's pack. It's quite possibly one of the worst situations I've gotten myself into."