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

He's a Wolf Now

A/N: Here it is! Second update this week! I hope you all enjoy.

- TAAF_

Derek's POV

I spent the next day after Laura died alone on the steps, remorse clinging to me like the dead ivy that clung to the charred walls of my home.

What if I'd been there to fight with her against whoever killed her? How different would things be now?

I was alone and planned to stay that way until I heard two sets of feet traipse through the leaves on my property. They certainly weren't trying to be quiet. I probably still would've been able to hear them without my heightened hearing.

"You're the one who heard a wolf howling," one of them joked.

"There could be something seriously wrong with me!" the other said frantically, which is what made me keep listening. What were they talking about?

"I know, you're a werewolf!" A growl followed the joke, then he laughed.

I could've sworn I heard that voice before... What was he doing talking about werewolves? I lurched to my feet and followed their voices, careful not to be too loud.

"Okay, obviously I'm kidding. But, if you see me in shop class trying to melt all the silver I can find it's 'cause Friday's a full moon."

I knew the kid talking wasn't being serious as his friend was freaking out, but I was incredibly curious as to what had happened. I could see them now, wandering through the forest, the kid with longer hair scanning the ground. The joking one stood with his hands in his pockets, sporting a buzzcut.

Wait.

I knew the one with the buzzcut. Stiles. He was friends with Lillian. He came to visit her when she was in the hospital, but Alaric kicked him out. I remembered because I would bet money he had feelings for my girlfriend and I remembered how badly I'd wanted him to leave that night in the hospital.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the memory, but something on the ground caught my eye.

An asthma inhaler. I bet it was the kid with longer hair. He looked gimpy enough to need one. I reached to grab it and tuck it away in my pocket.

"I-I could've sworn this was it. I saw the body; the deer came running, I dropped my inhaler."

As if on cue, he opened his mouth, but as I drew closer, I took a breath. The air told me I wasn't the only werewolf there.

Who bit Stiles' friend? Laura never would've done it. It must have been the new Alpha, whoever they were. The thought alone made my blood chill.

That kid had seen Laura's body last night? How?

Then the smartass one, Stiles, piped up, "Maybe the killer moved the body."

I flared my nostrils from behind them, the two oblivious to my presence.

"If he did, I hope he left my inhaler. Those things are like, eighty bucks."

I snorted softly, as Stiles turned toward me and our eyes met. Immediately, he smacked his friend of the shoulder and motioned him to get up. It was almost a joy to see how sheepish they were, their vague fear tinting the air.

The kid had no idea what he was. Poor guy. He was in for a rough Friday night.

In any case, they were still trespassing, having either seen the "No Trespassing" sign and ignored it, or been oblivious to that too.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, no answer meeting me. There was a pause. "Huh? This is private property."

"Uh, sorry man, we didn't know," Stiles said, his voice grating my nerves almost as much as it did when we first met.

"Yeah, we were just looking for something, but," the other one started warily.

I raised my eyebrows pointedly, my hand on the inhaler in my pocket. He was a wolf now; he didn't need it anymore.

"Forget it," he snapped, and I chucked the inhaler at him before turning and stalking away. The kid could figure everything out himself; I wasn't getting involved right now.

"Alright, I gotta get to work," the new werewolf said, and I heard him taking a step away.

Stiles smacked him. "Dude, that was Derek Hale, you remember right, he's only like a few years older than us."

I wasn't listening intently until I heard my name.

"Remember what?" the wolf asked innocently.

I gritted my teeth as I waited for Stiles the answer.

"His family? They all burned to death in a fire like ten years ago," Stiles said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Not all of them died there, I thought bitterly, the image of Laura in the ground enough to bring back the nausea I'd fought to get rid of.

"I'm pretty sure he's also shacking up with Lillian," Stiles added, and it took everything in me to keep walking toward the house.

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah, he was in the hospital with her when she got hurt a month or so ago," Stiles explained. "I don't know what she sees in that guy. I don't like it."

"Yikes."

Stiles scoffed, "Come on," and then they were gone.