The Feud (Young Derek Hale)

20

Tahlia was looking at me expectantly while I felt myself grow pale. A small voice in the back of my head screamed for Derek. As if he could somehow change her mind. 

I took a shaky breath. If I'm a betrayer of peace, like formally then Tahlia owns me. Like literally owns me. She'd only have to tell our emissary to come over to her house and she'd have just cause. But this is a test because...

I stood up a little straighter and rose a confused eyebrow. "The will to protect my alpha will be too strong to give up any secrets my pack has".

To my surprise she smiled softly at me. "It's not anything like that. While I'm aware your pack aren't for lack of a better word innocent as they appear to be. I'm willing to overlook certain matters for the sake of peace".

I gulped. "Certain matters?".

She tipped her head at me. "I knew about your brother."

Alec. I closed my eyes and exhaled suddenly fearful again. She could of killed him for it. She can still kill him for it. "He didn't mean it. It was a mistake".

She rose an eyebrow at me. "That girl-".

I didn't even blink. "Was a mistake".

I knew it wasn't right to cut off an alpha in her den surrounded by her pack. All of whom are probably ease dropping on this very conversation. Suddenly they'd now be aware that once upon a time Alec broke the feud and Tahlia never told them. Tahlia pursed her lips before leaning in closer to me while I leant back into my chair. She smiled, if anything like a mother but there was disappointment there. "Humans, are never mistakes".

I sniffed and stared at the ground. Alec's never ending screams suddenly engulfing my mind. It was a mistake and he was punished accordingly. 

Tahlia cleared her throat and I looked up at her blankly still filled with fear. What else does she know about us?...

Her eyes were the same as his. But wiser, mature and softer. "Avery, I won't lie to you. You've been raised in a very different type of pack. The morals that you've been raised under are everything I stand against. Do you want to take a guess as to what those are?".

I tusked and twiddled my thumbs. "I've got a basic idea of where our packs differ".

I could tell she was merely amused I didn't answer her question. She hummed. "So in your pack's view, whose in the wrong if a human dies at the hand of a wolf?".

I bit my lip. That's a simple answer. One that'll make me look really bad to Derek if he's listening in to this conversation. So, I walked around it and shrugged. "I'd need more context".

Tahlia took a long sip and I thought she'd wait until I'd give into the silence. "Suppose in cold blood, no reason. No humans around to witness and no evidence left".

Ooft. That's what my pack calls a clean kill. I felt my eyes close as I exhaled in defeat.  I can't lie. She'd know, I have a feeling even if I rested my pulse she'd know. I looked back up at her before staring at my tea. "No one".

It was like a pin dropped. I could tell Tahlia was neither surprised or disappointed in my answer. But I have a feeling Derek, Laura and maybe even Peter expected me to answer differently. And maybe this is more of an interview than asking one direct question about my pack. Breaking down my packs values and beliefs to showcase how even the youngest of them is still apart of something so...different. I think this is her plan, show Derek that I'm a monster.

She nodded. "I heard you were punished a month ago. How did that go?".

How did that go!?!. Awful, might need therapy later in life. This time I didn't answer. She frowned but didn't press. "Do you think it was extreme for passing notes?".

I bit my lip. "M-maybe nothing happened and my mother took away my phone".

Tahlia tusked. "Maybe in an ideal world where Lenora Wood isn't a sadist. Did she smile when you screamed? Or defend you, her youngest pup that was tortured in-front of her?".

Fair point and yes, when spun like that it sounds...bad. But my pack isn't like that. I scoffed. "It wasn't like that. Mother isn't like that".

Tahlia gave me a look,a knowing look of concern. "I've known Lenora for a very long time, Avery. I've seen what she's capable of. To be raised by such a perso-".

"Please stop".

Her eyes softened into what I hoped isn't pity. "You need to understand that you have a very warped view of the world. Most packs don't operate like yours do."

I gripped my tea cup harder. "Then I guess I'll just have to adapt when I join my mate's pack".

She smiled at me. "And do you think you'd be capable of that degree of change?. To reshape your entire view of the world?".

I get it. I mean technically my mate could be from a pack like Tahlia's. An ally to her pack. There's a couple hundred packs sworn to her. Therefore a couple hundred that Anna or I could join. And they all share Tahlia's views. Talk first bloodshed later, only kill a hunter if they kill you first. We're the opposite. Kill first ask questions later. She'd have enough swing not to accept us into an ally pack. Of course we could always convince ou-

I smirked. "I guess if that fails my mate could always join my pack".

Something flipped. Her eyes flashed red and I was filled with the urge to bare my neck at her in submission. But, I'm not in her pack so it'd be inappropriate. Instead I just visibly gulped. 

Her eyes flashed back to normal I could tell we'd both reached what she's wanted all along from this tea. She indicated to my cup. "This tea is special, used by ancient druids to bond two in a sacred promise".

Oh that doesn't sound good. She indicated to the tea in my hands. "I've got all I've needed from you, Avery. You needn't worry about anything else but I need you to promise me something".

I frowned down at the cup. I knew it smelt funky!. I sighed. "What happens if I break it?".

A pause before I felt her hand softly hold mine causing me to stare up at her motherly face. "Death, destruction and famine that forever follows you".

Huh...so that's something. And if I don't do this then I'm screwed, my pack will kill me. Or, she'd kill me. I sighed and nodded curtly to her. "What do you want me to promise you?".

She smiled. Proudly, somehow she came off as proud. "I want you to promise me, that if you find your mate you will only ever accept his pack as your own and not yours".

I almost laughed. That's it?. I have to do that anyways at twenty one. All this for a promise so...pathetic?. Okay so my pack are a little different but who-cares?!?. 

Tahlia, apparently Tahlia Hale cares.

She looked me dead on. While I was amused she was nothing but serious. Her eyes landed on my now cold tea and she tusked. "Drink".

And so I did. And thus bonded myself to Thalia. If I find my mate, I'll join his pack and not stay in my mine or ever return to it. Which is basically just the law of our kind anyways. I certainly couldn't see a problem with being forced to join any other pack in the world. Not like it'll be a threatening, life altering decision to switch packs, right?.