willow | d. hale [on hold]

16 | towel

you think you've lost me?

[ 2.09 ]

The Worthington Estate quickly became the second hideout for Derek and his pack. With the alpha refusing to leave Willow alone, Isaac, Erica, and Boyd had to come to him when they needed to talk.

Funny how Warren had met Derek's betas but not the man himself. Willow introduced the three as some new friends, and though Warren wasn't home much, he liked them for the most part. And of course, he had heard mentions of Isaac and Erica before, so they weren't strangers.

Boyd was Warren's favorite though. They first bonded over Boyd being in JROTC, as Warren served in the military for a few years. But then they also bonded over a love of completely destroying Willow in Mario Kart and Monopoly — they were the only two that her pouty eyes couldn't sway. Willow wasn't thrilled about how they constantly beat her at games and then rubbed it in like children.

Warren didn't, however, know that Derek had been practically living in his home for the last few days. Derek was using his shower, eating his food, and sleeping in his daughter's bed.

Derek had meant it when he promised Willow to not leave her alone. Though they didn't talk about what Matt had done often, as Willow got upset each time, it was clear that she was still scared. And no one made her feel safer than Derek, even after all they'd been through.

If Derek left the house, Willow went with him. Or if he needed to take care of something that wasn't safe for her, Scott and Stiles came to stay with her. The best thing about being as loved as Willow was that she never had a shortage of people who wanted to protect her.

And in their surplus of time together, they had gotten closer once more — it was inevitable. Though nothing romantic came from it, it was the first glimpse at the old Derek that Willow had seen in weeks. And hell must have frozen over, because he also apologized for everything from biting everyone without telling Willow to hurting Scott to trying to kill Lydia even though they had never seen her turn into the kanima. And he certainly meant it, they all knew, because Derek Hale never apologized.

Willow just hoped that the sense that had been knocked into him would stick around this time.

"Tomorrow night's the full moon," Willow noted. She was laying on her bed and flipping through a magazine as Derek sat at her desk, eating the rest of the pizza they had for dinner. "Are they all going to be alright?"

"I've got enough chains to keep them inside," Derek assured her. "You're sticking with Scott at the party tomorrow and then staying at Lydia's. If that changes, you call me. And if he dares to show up, you call me. Understood?"

So, Derek was a little on edge about his inability to watch her during the full moon. But Willow assured him that she'd survive one night without him. She didn't want him distracted when he was supposed to be focused on his betas.