I'm Not Afraid || A Teen Wolf Fanfic

Chapter 17

There was a tense air between Skyler and Derek as they reached her house. He helped her off the bike and kept his hand on her lower back as they walked to her front porch but did not say a single word. His stare was a million miles away, and she could tell his thoughts had been running rampant in his head.

"Are you okay, Derek?" the girl finally broke the silence as she slid her key into the door. "You feel weird. Like, distant."

"I'm fine," he said, his stoic façade still plastered on his face. "I just need to make sure you're home safe before I get my pack."

"They're fine. They're hiding up in my room." She pulled out her phone from her pocket and showed him Isaac's text confirming that they had locked themselves in her house. "But I need to know what you're hiding right now because I know something's up."

"Everything's fine," he huffed. "Why are they here?"

"I thought they'd be safe here," she responded. "Don't change the topic, Derek. You know you can't lie to me."

"I just... we gotta stay away from each other for a while, okay? Believe me when I say, it's for the best."

The answer took Skyler aback. She stepped away from his touch, as though suddenly it burned her. His words had seemingly come out of nowhere. They were in a good spot, she thought. They weren't exactly in a relationship, but they weren't not in one either. They had been speaking consistently for the past couple of weeks, they had seen each other when they could, and they had kissed. God, did they kiss. "I-I-I don't understand," she stammered as she blinked away her confusion. "I thought we were good. I mean, I know our situation isn't exactly ideal, but I didn't think it was going bad."

"It's just not the time to deal with feelings, Sky," he sighed. "I have to focus on how to get rid of the Kanima and why Scott would betray us. I simply don't have the bandwidth to focus on you too."

"Oh, I didn't know I was such a distraction," Skyler scoffed, putting another step of distance between them. "You know, it was only a few weeks ago that you were saying you wanted this to work. No matter how long it took or what hurdles we had to go through. You said I wouldn't have to go through life alone, not while you were here. Was that all just bullshit?"

"It wasn't... It isn't..." He ran his hands across his face in frustration, letting out an infuriated groan. "With everything that's going on, I can't risk being close to you, Skyler. The more time that passes with the Kanima here, the more hunters will arrive. Especially now that I have a target on my back, thanks to your cousin. Being with you only makes that target bigger, and it puts it on my pack too. I have to make the right decision for them."

"So, everything I've done to help you guys out means nothing?" she cried, biting down the tears that threatened to spill. "I've stuck my neck out for you on more than one occasion. I think I've proven to be an asset to you and your pack when it comes to my family."

"You have and I'm grateful," he said. Derek took a beat before continuing. It seemed he knew the next words out of his mouth would drive a wedge between them that he wasn't sure would ever be removed. "I just don't know if one day you'll turn on us like Allison has done to Scott, or even like Kate did to me."

If there was anything he could say that would drive Skyler away, it was that. Her fears of one day becoming like her aunt still haunted her to that day. It was a quiet but haunting rumble in the pits of her mind, fed by her insecurities and her fears, and very much alive.

"A-are you serious?" Skyler wanted to appear confident and confrontational. But she couldn't help the way her voice broke. "Do you really think I'd be capable of doing something like that?"