Wolfsbane | Teen Wolf

Chapter 3: First Love

Over the next few weeks, Ashley became close with Derek and Peter. Having no one else of the same age around in the Hale family, Ashley felt a natural pull towards the two boys. The boys ignored her at first but then got used to her presence over time.

From the start, it was evident that Ashley admired Derek. In her eyes, he could do no wrong and ended up following him like a lost puppy. For his part, Derek found her annoying at times, like the little sister clinging to her older brother. At the same time, there was a part of him that was also incredibly encouraged that someone would believe in him to such an extent. Derek had often found himself being overshadowed by his mother's greatness and never really felt confident in who he was. Yet, Ashley knew he would be alpha even if she couldn't explain it. And it was such belief in him and in his potential that moved Derek's heart.

In contrast, Peter acted nonchalantly around Ashley but was actually warming up to the girl. There was an incident not too long after they first met when Peter had lost control and ended up hurting a family member. Ashamed of what he had done, he had ran away from home and was hiding out in an abandoned building at the edge of town. The family had looked for him for days but it had been Ashley who had found him first. It was a rainy night and he was sleeping inside the storm bunker when he was awoken by a clanging sound. Peter looked up and found Ashley busting the door open and crawling in. From her drenched state, it was obvious to anyone that she had been running around in the terrible weather.

Despite her appearance, she smiled at Peter with her dirt-smeared face. She walked confidently over to him and hugged him. There was that hug again. The thought came to his mind. In that instance, Peter allowed himself to be the scared boy he really was and started sobbing against her body. Ashley murmured soothingly to him that everything would be all right. It was that night that Peter started to open up to someone for the first time. Perhaps, it was also the time when he started falling in love with Ashley.

xXx

Some time later, Derek began going out with Paige. When Ashley first found out, she was happy for Derek. She liked Paige and thought she was good for Derek. However, it did make her sad that Derek was not able to spend as much time with her anymore. Still, she could always count on Peter to still visit her at the school.

It was during one of his visits that Peter noticed Derek watching Paige from a distance. It was then that a plot hatched in Peter's mind.

Even before Ashley came into their lives, Peter already had feelings of envy towards Derek. This was fed by his feelings of inferiority to his sister. Talia Hale had been a one-of-kind werewolf. The Alpha matriarch. And Peter was simply the younger brother of this great woman. Without their sibling relationship, many would probably not have even remembered Peter's name. His feelings of resentment towards his sister were being projected unto her son. Moreover, Derek had it all. He had a mother who loved him, sisters who looked up to him, and a community that expected much of him. At least, that's what it felt to Peter.

With Ashley coming to the picture, it made Peter even more envious of the boy. It was hard to see the girl he was coming to care for admire Derek. In fact, the way that Ashley only had eyes for Derek made Peter really jealous, especially when he was falling for her.

So when he saw an opportunity to cause some havoc in Derek's life, he didn't hesitate. Ever scheming, he approached Derek and suggested turning Paige into a werewolf.

xXx

Ashley moaned in her sleep as she dreamt.

Paige was at the high school at night when a dark figure approached her. Ashley wanted to scream at her to run but no sound was coming out of her.

The scene changed and this time she saw Derek.

He was in the locker room when he heard the sound of Paige whimpering. He dropped the ball in his hand and ran towards the sounds.

Ashley tossed and turned as she witnessed what enfolded.

Peter was cowering in a corner away from Ennis and Paige. It was then that Derek burst into the hallway and attacked the giant werewolf. But there was no reason for him to fight. She had already been bitten.

Ashley woke up with start. Sweat had formed on her forehead, and she was having a hard time catching her breath. Although she dreamt it, she knew it was real somehow. She got out of bed and quickly changed. She wasn't sure where she was going but there was some invisible force that was pulling her. Within the hour, she found herself at the root of the Nemeton where Derek was holding a dying Paige. She hid from sight not wanting to infringe on their intimate moment.

"I knew." Paige whispered.

"What do you mean?" Derek asked.

"Right after I told you my name... I think I knew. I've seen things in this town before, things no one really could explain. And then there's the way that you talk... How you say things, like how you'd 'catch a scent.' And I know you can hear things, things that no one else can hear. I knew."

"And you still liked me?"

"I loved you."

Tears rolled down Ashley's face as watched the two. It was painful to watch but watch she did. Something powerfully moving was happening and she felt that she could not miss it. She found herself rooted to the spot, mesmerized by what was happening before her.

She watched as Paige cried when the pain became too much. She watched Derek's look of agony as Paige struggled. She watched Paige begging to die. Finally, she watched as Derek took the life of the person he loved.

Ashley took it all in and it changed something in her.

Hearing his heart-wrenching cry, seeing his pained look, she realized just how much Derek loved Paige. She never imagined that someone could love as much as Derek did in that moment. It resonated with her and caused her heart to ache. She clenched at her heart as new feelings flooded her. Her heart ached at Derek's sadness but his capacity to love stirred something within her. This was a turning point for Ashley. The point when her feelings of admiration for Derek turned to feelings of love.