The Feud (Young Derek Hale)

39

Tahlia let us skip school on Monday. 

Suppose that is the safest option, not to mention if we saw Anna we'd be forced to hand her to Tahlia and well, try explaining that to the humans.

So I spend the day in silent protest of my new pack. I haven't spoken a word, not even to Derek. We're at war and my sister's life is on the line.

My old pack want me to do nothing.

My current pack wants me to do nothing.

But you know, they can call kill eachother on sight now. So there's that to worry about too. If a Hale dies, I'll morn them as a fellow pack member. Apparently it'll feel like someone has cut off one of my limbs. A pain of physical loss. And if a Wood dies, I'll grieve them. I'd lose a family member. 

I lose either way.

I was flipping through channels on their tv. I'm saying their tv because this doesn't feel like my home. Not when they've declared war on my family. A local news segment halts my mindless channel surfing. 

...body found mutilated in Beacon Hills reserve this morning. The body as far as we know has been identified but the family does not wish to disclose who just yet. This is now the second death of a teenager in the past month, and fourth in the past five years from animal attacks. Experts are to be called in by newly appointed Sheriff Stilinski to try and locate the supposed mountain lion".  

I felt all the blood drain from face. "Derek!". 

I screamed his name. Probably more then once by the alarmed look Laura was giving me. Subconsciously I knew it wasn't him. I'd feel the death of my mate more than anyone. In fact I'd probably go insane from dealing with the loss of a mate at such a young age. And I didn't feel anything before the news segment. So it wasn't a dead Hale they found in the woods this morning. 

But I just need to know. Need to see him breathing before I can begin dealing with the loss of someone from my pack. 

He walks in with a look of concern on his face. Probably because he could feel my panic from the other side of the mansion. 

I shudder in his arms. "S-someone's dead".

Laura inhaled behind us and we both looked at her questionably. She bit her lip. "It's her".

I swallowed, I don't want to know. "Her?".

Laura frowned. "Anna. They said teenager, Alec's twenty".

That did it.

I don't remember what happened in my grief. I just know I didn't leave his arms. One minute I was in the family room with Laura and Derek. The next I was in a room that smelt like him. In a bed engulfed in his arms and scent. The sky was now dark and I was sobbing. Still sobbing. He kept wiping every tear that fell. And his forehead didn't leave mine. I briefly remembered the other night Peter telling me that Thalia had a rule against me being alone in Derek's room with him...I'm glad he broke it.

****

I don't know how long I grieved my sister. I know some days Derek went to school and some days he stayed by my side. 

The pack helped. They told me they weren't responsible, that my pack...

It didn't make sense. Especially after the last night I'd entered my old territory. My pack was willing to die over Anna. They declared war because of it. I felt it, there in that cell. The way they'd slightly tried to block my view of her. As if I I'd ever...