Amber Waves of Angst

Chapter 7

They got Erik home without incident, and Stiles and Derek gently cleaned the blood off of him. The wounds had closed completely; though thick scabs were still visible on the skin. Laurie sat on the other side of the room, staring at him miserably. Her scratch marks had completely faded.

"What happened?" asked Derek quietly.

"We were chasing each other. We were kind of play-fighting and I-"

"We scented the mountain lion too late. We should have been more careful," Erik groaned from the couch.

"Well, I'm glad you kids are okay. Animals don't usually attack us when we're shifted; you must have surprised it. Erik, you're healing pretty well, but I want you to lay there on the couch and rest. Just yell if there's anything you need. Your Pop and I have to prepare something that will speed up the healing process, we'll be right back."

Derek and Stiles left them.

"Why'd you cover for me?" she asked immediately.

"Cover for you? Laurie, you didn't put that mountain lion there, I led us to it." Erik groused, trying to get comfortable.

"I kicked you right at it! It wouldn't have come near us if I hadn't! You couldn't defend yourself because I knocked the wind out of you! It's ALL my fault! I knew I never should have let the damn wolf out of the box!" she complained.

"Oh, get over it! I'll be fine. I'm healing because of the wolf. You killed the mountain lion because of the wolf. Our parents rescued us because of the wolf. There's risks with it, like with anything, but from my point of view it gives us a lot more than it takes. I wouldn't be alive without it! Laurie, it was almost worth it for me to see you let go for once. I was looking back at you while you chased me. I never saw that look on your face before! You looked...like you owned the forest. All the worry that's been on your face since we found out was gone. I'd like to see more of that look. I really don't think there's anything to forgive here. Don't blame yourself, or the wolf. On the way back, Dad told me that once Laura had to rescue him from an enraged bear. These things just happen, goes with the territory."

Laurie came over and hugged him. "I'm sorry I've been such a jerk lately. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to any of us. I can't imagine how Dad and Pop got through losing all those people in their families. I'd go crazy."

"Ditto. Now let me rest for a few weeks."

Dad came back in with a tray containing several syringes full of a red liquid. Erik's eyes opened wide.

"Oh, man what the hell! I need to get shots!" he complained. He hadn't needed them since a particularly traumatic visit to their family physician as a child to get vaccinated. It was a requirement to get them in school and a precaution since their immune systems wouldn't get the werewolf boost for at least another ten years. Laurie had taken the shots stoically, but Erik had been terrified. Derek wanted to tear the doctor limb from limb the more his son cried, and eventually had to leave the room and let Stiles oversee it.

"This will speed up the recovery. It's a small amount of my blood that I'm going to inject in the worst areas. Alphas heal at double the rate of Betas, so I think you'll be completely recovered by tomorrow morning." Derek explained patiently.

"Goddamn it! I thought I was through with shots. Fine, but I need something to mangle while you do it. Laurie! Give me your hand for a second." Erik joked.

"Nice try. Make them hurt, Dad." Laurie answered back.

"Kids. There's one...then two...then three. All done." Erik winced at each shot, and looked vastly relieved after it was over. Dad drew a blanket over his son and fluffed up his pillow, hitting the button on the remote control for the television. A show on the recently restored Discovery Channel seemed to be a documentary on the life cycle and habits of the mountain lion. Erik savagely changed the channel, while Laurie laughed.