Wicked Bitch - [Derek Hale]

Chapter 16: Galvanize

God, she was a goner...

It had to be some kind of spell... Right? Or perhaps maybe some weird werewolf powers.

There had to be some kind of explanation as to why Tessa's mind always seemed to drift off to Derek Hale.

Tessa let out a string of curses as she drove down the streets of Beacon Hills. Her morning had barely begun, and that werewolf was a constant in her mind.

But a part of Tessa knew it wasn't just a crush, or some kind of supernatural shit messing with her life again. Because a part of her knew how deeply she cared for that man. A man that had been wronged by life so many times, yet chose to keep fighting. A man who protected his own with all his might. A man so beautifully broken that made Tessa think — even for just a second — that he could perhaps accept her broken parts as well.

Tessa shook her head angrily, willing the thoughts away from her mind. After Derek requested her help the previous night, she had agreed — because obviously she couldn't say no to that green-eyed idiot — that she could lend a witchy hand.

Apparently, Derek took his sweet time coming back because he was looking for a way to contact his dead mother. After searching for weeks in South America, getting caught by hunter and rescued by Braeden — thanks mostly to Tessa — he finally found what he had been looking for; Talia's claws.

And just like that, Tessa spent another sleepless night reading on anything and everything wicken. Trying to refresh her memory on spirits and how to contact them.

To be honest, Tessa really didn't mind putting in the work. It wasn't the first night she had spent awake. Day by day — or probably night by night — the darkness surrounding her turned even more suffocating, and sleep turned into a foreign concept for Tessa. Even when the sleep deprivation managed to knock her out, Stiles' screams would wake her up, her mind immediately going to overdrive.

God she missed sleep...

But there wasn't any more time for her... Was there? She was all healed and powerful now, so she couldn't complain. What could an all powerful wicken can possible have to complain about?

Tessa almost felt guilty for the ache in her stomach. She felt guilty for that little voice in her head that screamed for attention. The voice that needed comfort and someone to tell her that she was not okay.

But she couldn't complain... Could she?

No one would understand. They had their own issues.

☽✵☾

Tessa was quick to jump out of the car, as soon as she spotted her best friends. Staying all alone with her thoughts was proving way too much for her at that moment.

Her brows furrowed in confusion though, the minute she spotted Aiden and Ethan at the school parking lot, only a couple of feet away from her friends.

"Are the wonder twins back at school?" she wandered out loud, as Stiles groaned in response.

"They want to get in the pack. I guess they're making their case." replied Scott with a shrug of his shoulders.

Tessa breathed deeply, her mind immediately on alert as she added the twins to her growing list of people and things to look out for. "Well, good luck with that." she muttered.

"What? No words of wisdom?" pleaded Scott desperately. Tessa almost chuckled at his — ironically — puppy eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be something like our emissary?"

"Am I really the best person to go to for advice?" sighed the young girl, but Scott was quick to answer.

"Well... kind of." he argued sincerely. "I mean, you've always given us great advice before. And every time we didn't listen to you when you insisted we kind of ended up in deep trouble. You're better at this than you think."