Howling to the Heart || Isaac Lahey

96.

(I listened to 'You're Gonna Go Far' by Noah Kahan while listening to this and I cried more than I'd like to admit.
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The McCall house was mainly quiet as Isaac sat downstairs with his bags packed, talking with Melissa, Lydia, and Mr. Stilinski, waiting for Mr. Argent to pick him up before going to the airport where they'll fly to France and starting their new life away from Beacon Hills.

Upstairs in her room, Neriah silently packed the last of her things while Scott sat on the end of her bed and Stiles leaned against the wall near the window.

"Are you sure about this?" Scott asked again for the thirteenth time in ten minutes.

"I can't heal in Beacon Hills," Neriah said quietly, folding up her shirts. "I truly thought I would never leave this town, but I can't stay anymore. I-It's too hard to live in constant pain."

Scott's face fell as he noticed the silent tears falling down her face and he got up, staying silent as he pulled her into his arms. Stiles ran a hand through his hair, his body in a state of depression after the events of the nogitsune and the fact that the girl he loved was leaving.

"Well, you know your room will always be here, waiting for your return," Scott promised her, rubbing her back.

Despite the tears, Neriah smiled, squeezing him tighter before pulling away and looking up at him. "We might not be blood siblings, but you'll always be my brother, Scott McCall. And I'll always be proud of you."

"You've always been my sister, Neriah Hale," Scott said, kissing the top of her head with tears in his eyes. "Try not to get arrested in France, yeah?"

Neriah laughed, punching his shoulder. "We've both grown up since then. Just promise me you'll keep your grades up and stay out of trouble."

"I'll keep my grades up but no promises on staying out of trouble," he chuckled, picking up one of her bags. "I'll meet you downstairs," he said with a smile as he opened the door and walked out of the room, leaving Neriah and Stiles.

The pair stayed quiet, looking at each other with heavy hearts. Stiles had asked her to reconsider her decision many times—too many times. But she was firm with her decision.

Since the age of ten, she had lost too many people in Beacon Hills. She had died herself at one point. The town had scared her too deep to heal, which was why she accepted Mr. Argent's offer for her and Isaac to move to France with him. To start a new life across the world, where the supernatural wasn't as hectic as the last few years in Beacon Hills. The town of death and pain, in Neriah's eyes.

"You'll call me, right?" Stiles asked with a hoarse voice, breaking the tense silence.

Neriah gave him a small smile. "Every Sunday like we arranged," she promised him.

Neriah would miss her friends and family here, but Stiles the most. She may have fallen out of love with him romantically, but the love of friendship was still strong, and it pained her most to leave him behind while she started a new life with her lover—Isaac.

When she first told Stiles of the news, he broke down straight away and she felt beyond guilty, but majority of her life she had put everyone else before herself, and now she had to put herself before everyone. Otherwise, she was worried her humanity would turn off again and next time she most likely wouldn't get it turned back on.

Stiles was still devastated as he watched her zip up her last bag. God, he hated that she was leaving. Part of him was so angry and hurt by what she was doing—by her leaving him. But he understood. He could see how broken she was and the last thing he wanted was for her to stay broken. So even if he was still in love with her and would rather beg her to stay than allow her to leave, he just had to watch her leave. For her—for her happiness—he was giving up on trying to convince her to stay. And in the end, he knew they would always stay friends, even if that also pained him. But at least she was still in his life.