I Was Meant To Die In Your Arms (Steter)

Chapter Three

17 years ago...

Talia's howl ringed out through the preserve, maybe even the entirety of Beacon Hills, Peter just knows it. He can still feel the sadness and despair seeping through the pack bonds. The only reason why he can't hear the crying is because he's been sitting in his room for two hours now behind a sealed soundproof door. He can still smell the salty tears and mourning that covers the wall though and he doesn't think it will ever leave his nose.

All this for a name on my wrist, he can't help but think, although he knows it's more than the name. It's the fact that the name is his soulmate, which means he now has a higher chance of dying compared to everyone else in his family. A percentage that only recently went up.

He can still feel the searing burn on his skin that scrapped the letters on his inner wrist, and he knows deep down that if it weren't for his healing factor, he'd still have an open wound. Now all that's left is clear skin showcasing thin white slashes making the name Mieczyslaw Stilinski. Peter knew the owner of the last name immediately when he saw it. As a result of his frequent trips to the police station for causing a public disturbance, and he wondered if the Deputy Stilinski knew anybody named Mie-czee-sil-la.

"Peter," Talia's voice suddenly coming from the door of his room, "May I come in?"

He didn't want her too if he was being honest with himself. He hadn't had a chance to fully process what was happening to him and although he know it was considered a horrible thing, he finds he doesn't care. It wasn't ideal being only eighteen and already having his life seem finite, but as the Hale who was hidden in his sister's shadow, it was nice knowing there was someone just for him out there.

So no, he didn't want to talk and pretend that he was devastated by the news that he now apparently has a soulmate. But then he saw her red-rimmed eyes, and how her hair which was usually impeccable was falling out of place, as if she had been running her hands through it over and over. It's only because of this, knowing how worried she must be, that he nods and shuffles over to make space on the bed for her.

When she sits down, she lets out a sigh, her eyes staring unseeingly at the wall across from them, "I know you're not upset about the news Peter."

Peter looking at her raises a brow, only to catch her already looking at him with a sad knowing smile before turning back to the wall. "Yeah, I could smell the curiosity and longing on your brother, you hid it well from the rest of them though, so don't worry."

"You're...," Peter starts out slowly, "mad that I like the idea of a soulmate."

"No of course not Peter," Talia says with a small laugh, "Everyone has that romantic ideas when they're your age." Her arm goes around his shoulders to pull him into a hug, a way for the new Alpha to scent her beta, but also simply a sibling giving another support.

"As long as you don't try to pursue it, you'll be fine Peter," Talia added on her voice taking on a harder edge for a moment.

Peter, young but not naïve, feels the hairs on the back of his neck raise as he listens to the tone shift of his sister. His heart beats a hair faster before he forces it back to normal as he lets a smile stretch upon his face. The edges of it digging into his cheeks, feeling like a dry brittle rubber band, as he tries to look calm.

"Obviously not Tal," his childhood nickname for her slipping out of his mouth unconsciously, "I don't have a death wish."

When her arm loosens, he feels himself relax, and he briefly lets himself think about visiting the Stilinski's in a few years, maybe after college but before he travels to for pack relations. He even starts to turn his head to ask Talia about the time she thought about soulmates and true love when he feels it. The tell-tell sign of sharped claws pricking his neck, and when he lets his eyes look over to his right, they meet a watery red.

"I'm sorry Peter," his sister, no his Alpha whispers, "but I just don't believe you."

When the claws sink in, he knows he screams, he knows he screams until he forgets.

Now....

When Peter first smelled his soulmate two weeks ago, he wanted to let Talia know. Tell her so maybe he could relocate or see if she could approach his soulmate and ask them to leave. His thoughts telling him not to risk anything that could affect the pack, not to leave the pack, that it was important he remained to help them. (If it sounded like Talia's voice, he ignored the coincidence). Peter almost did too, walked all the way to her door fist raised to knock, but then he stopped. His wolf wined in warning and his gut turned in discomfort, and if he really focused, he could probably even feel phantom pain on his neck.

His instincts told him to not say anything, so he didn't, instead he spent two weeks following his soulmate around town. Always with the intention to tell Talia when he has more information, and always failing to do so for the same reason.

He must've forgot.