Forbidden Gift [Derek Hale]

Chapter 13: Aiden

"Dad?" Liz asked. He stood before her, not saying much.

"Be aware, Pilae. This much power is a blessing and a curse." He ran past her and she immediately chased after him but once she reached the hallway, he had disappeared. She walked downstairs and saw Elizabeth and her mother laying on the floor with a pool of blood encircling them.

"No!! No!! It's not real!" Liz forced her eyes shut, squeezing them tight. She held her breath and opened them again. Everything was back to normal. Elizabeth was sitting and her mother was in the kitchen. But still, no sign of her dad. She walked over to Elizabeth and asked her to follow. Elizabeth excused herself to her room and took Liz with her. "Elizabeth, listen to me. If daddy hurts you, I want you to tell mommy, okay?"

"Okay," she whispered.

"Elizabeth!" She heard her mothers voice call.

"Go. Be careful," Liz whispered, bringing her into a hug before letting go.

She looked down at her wrist as she left. The bruise was just as prominent as it had always been. The familiar metal taste in her mouth returned and her vision blurred. She closed her eyes as she stumbled to the ground.

Liz started screaming as she felt arms around her. "Shh! Shh, Liz, it's okay! It's okay, I'm here. I'm here, Liz." It was Derek. He brought her into his muscular arms and she buried his head into his chest. "It's okay. It's okay."

She looked up at him as he was already gazing at her. He placed one kiss on her forehead before backing further away from her.

"I- I don't understand," she said.

"Liz, I know what you're capable of. I know you're probably ten times stronger than me even though you're trapped in a weakling body. I know you're sometimes annoying and irritable and sometimes I can't stand to be around you. But Liz, I am completely and utterly in love with you."

"Derek, I-"

"Don't say anything. I know you don't feel the same. I've seen how you look at Aiden. I've seen how he looks at you."

"Derek, it's not like that! Aiden is just a really close friend."

"Liz, it's okay. You don't have to lie. I want you to be with someone you love. And it's obvious you love Aiden."

"But, Derek, just listen to me-"

"Liz, it's fine." He took a long pause. "Friends?"

Her eyes started to burn from holding back the tears. 'I won't cry. I won't cry,'  she told herself. She simply nodded her head before walking back into the forest and heading home. When she finally reached her room, she sat on the floor against her closet in tears. She loved him, but nothing would ever be the same. She buried her head in her knees and began sobbing even harder.

The door creaked open and out of habit, Liz said, "Go away, mom. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine to me."

Her head jolted up. She wiped the tears away, smudging any mascara residue that may have been on her lashes. "Aiden?"

He kicked the door closed. "You sure you're fine?"

"No," she said hopelessly, tear stained cheeks.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his warm body. Aiden gently picked her up and carried her over to the bed.

"My life is a complete disaster, Aiden. My friends rarely talk to me, Derek hates me, my father is trying to kill me both when I'm awake and asleep, and to top it off, I can't even be honest with someone I really care about.