Heartbeat // A Derek Hale Love Story (Teen Wolf)

The Wolf Thing

Derek's POV

I didn't quite know what to make of Lillian's sister Rosie. I also didn't quite know what to make of the fact that she walked in on me making out with her sister. I suppose I'd begun a career in traumatising youth. I probably could've done that enough as a wolf, spooking kids on Halloween and whatnot.

Rosie walking in on us had not been the plan, but I wasn't sure sharing one of the best kisses on my life with Lillian wasn't something I planned either. I'd definitely been wanting to kiss her for a while, and almost did earlier in the day. I wasn't sure why I didn't kiss her when she was in my arms after I flipped her. I sure as hell wanted to.

But when I finally did, it was amazing. I was a bit awestruck by that alone. The energy rolling off her was ridiculously sexy, and the tank top she was wearing made me forget anything I'd ever wanted to say. Other than I might like to tear it off.

"He's not my boyfriend." Lillian had said flatly. Did she want me to be?

But I now was incredibly confused by the status of our relationship. Despite what a lot of guys my age thought, I didn't think hooking up with a friend was in the cards. Not since the last time it happened, with Kate—

Never again, I reminded myself, shuddering at the memory. Never.

I followed Lillian, who followed Rosie to the house to the left of the barn. I noticed a pool and hot tub at the side of the house, and I narrowed my eyes. Running a place like that must've been expensive, but then I remembered Lil's dad was a surgeon. Made sense.

It was hard not to notice the expressions on both Lillian and Rosie's faces. Rosie's was one of mischief, Lillian's of mortification and amusement. I didn't know if I should've been worried about what Rosie might say or insinuate over dinner. Or what Lil's father would do. From what Lil had said, her father didn't sound like an unreasonable man, or one that might chase me off the property with a shotgun, if he owned one.

Lillian's heartbeat was still exceptionally high for her usually slow rate, which I noticed with no small amount of pleasure. Knowing I could make her heart pound sent shivers down my spine and turned me on, if I was being honest. Even at the height of our training she never got a pulse higher than sixty beats per minute. But the second I stepped into her bedroom, when I trailed a finger along her bed and devoured her with my eyes, it spiked to a hundred. I loved that I had that effect on her.

This newness—whatever it was—between us came with at least one problem that I could see: the wolf thing. I was absolutely not down for dragging her into the mess that was my life. Or letting her into the world of the supernatural. I still didn't know where Laura was, and I'd been looking for weeks. I was long past the point of worry.

But the one thing I found joy in, refuge, was helping Lillian get better at martial arts. Although, recently, sitting on rooftops or making out with her would also be included closer to the top my list of things I'd like to be doing. I didn't want to lose that. Any of it. Even if she never wanted to kiss me again, I'd be alright with that as long as we could still see each other.

The screen door into the farmhouse was creaky, and I could immediately smell the spiced meat, probably steak, that had been brought in off the barbeque when I stepped inside. Rosie kicked off her shoes rather aggressively before marching straight to the dining room. Lillian cast an apologetic glance back at me before also removing her shoes and crossing into the foyer.

There seemed to be a lot of smaller rooms in the house but the biggest one contained the kitchen, living room and dining room. The entire back wall seemed to be made entirely of windows, save for a fireplace and a hearth. Before it lay the living room, and off to the right was the kitchen, separated by a quartz bar. Who I could only assume was Alaric Stager was in the kitchen, laying ribeye steak on a pea green serving plate.