The Sicilian Defence [Derek Hale]

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Dragging my hands over my head, I tried to ignore the sounds and the scents and everything. It was impossible. Derek had told me that when you have a bond with someone everything is amplified. Their scent, their presence, the sound of their heartbeat, the sound of their everything and it was true. When I was around Stiles the sound of everything was horrible. It was like his heart was shouting, but around Derek it was a thousand times worse. It didn't help with all the background noise as well.

His emotions were hell. Every spec of hatred or happiness or fear or anything was so strong. Was this what it had been like for him all along?

What was worse was that tonight was the first full moon. I'd never understood why Scott got angry and angsty during the full moon but now I do and I hate it. I don't know what was more terrifying, the knowledge of what could happen or the knowledge that I don't know what was going to happen.

I'd done something right though. I had yet to allow a leather jacket define my personality and instead stuck to the clothes I usually wore. It was still so cold. Maybe it had just been me all along being frozen. Maybe instead of dressing up like I'd just found an all-leather store I could get a haircut. That sounded fun. Maybe curtain bangs? Either way, after the jokes I'd made about the leather jackets I couldn't exactly jump into one now.

"Grace?" That was Derek's voice and my hands pressed tighter on my ears trying to block it out. "Grace, I know you're here," he called out.

I didn't say anything, I wasn't necessarily hiding. I'd found a little crook within the building and so I was sat on the floor in the corner with my ankles crossed out in front of me. The sound of his footsteps nearing was becoming louder and louder until finally his face appeared around the corner. The scent of dog was becoming unnaturally strong. It was both intoxicating and infuriating.

A smirk formed on his face as he crossed his arms, "you know-"

"Sshhhh..." I cut in holding up my finger to emphasise the point.

"You know," he began in a much softer and quieter voice. It was still too loud, "if you're going to hide you should at least make an effort to keep your boots behind the drawers," he mused referring to the piece of furniture beside me. I was cornered by loads of different things. Maybe that's what was so comforting about it.

"I'm not hiding." He raised his brow still amused, "I'm not." I assured knowing what his look was trying to say, "after a lengthy experimentation I worked out that this is the quietest part of the entire building," I finalised and his amusement fell as he sighed, taking a seat in front of me on the floor. I took the time to look away from him wiping the dust from my jeans.

"You know it's normal to be scared about the first full moon," I could never openly admit that I was scared, but it was the truth. I was absolutely terrified. "You know, you now have a wolf's instinct in you so it's natural for you to hide when scared. We all do it at some point."

That was when I stopped in my actions and I looked up at him with a glare, "I'm. Not. Hiding."

"I know you Grace, I can also feel basically everything you're feeling. I also know wolves. Whether subconscious or not... you're hiding."

I want to punch him.

"I am not hiding. I am avoiding the noise," I countered, he was annoying me with all of his assumptions, "so if you shut up it would be greatly appreciated."

"Come on," he urged pushing himself up to his feet and I followed his movements with my eyes confused. "You're getting angry. That's the full moon taking affect, so if we're going to do this properly then we need to make-sure you're not going to hurt anyone." When I still didn't move he held out his hand his eyes glowing red, "Grace."