𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓾𝓼𝓮 || Derek Hale

The Truth

My mother is enraged when Derek drops me off. I send him a glance that clearly says "you might want to go before she decides to come out here." Then I grab my things and begin the walk of shame up the driveway and to my house. In the driveway, my mother's car sits the same as it's always been. Shiny and expensive. I can almost smell the pristine interior that I'm sure hasn't changed. Noah's car is missing, as usual.

She sniffs and watches Derek leave with a glare. Then she shuts the door behind me. "I've asked Claudia and Noah to leave us alone tonight. They both happily obliged and took off for work early. Now, onto important things." She pauses, taking a seat at the table. "I don't want you seeing that boy anymore." My eyeballs nearly roll all the way into their sockets.

"He's a bad influence on you, clearly. And I can't believe you're letting him be, too. I raised you better than that." My eyebrows spike upwards. "Raised me? No, my father raised me. You were always too busy at work." Her eye twitches. "Have a seat." She says, calmly. I sit down.

"You're not staying here. I've found a new house with the divorce money, and it's perfect. Stellar neighborhood and an expensive private school, with discipline." No. She's got another thing coming if she thinks I'm leaving Beacon Hills. Anger sparks behind my eyes. I take a deep breath. "No, the answer is no. Cordelia, I'm not leaving Beacon Hills. End of discussion." I jump up to leave. "Now you wait a minute."

Cordelia insists. She grabs my arm, rough. I hiss in pain and fling her off of me. She flies across the room and into the wall, next to the sliding glass door. She stares at me in horror when a slow blood trickle begins down her arm. The scent invades my nose. I stare at her in equal horror. "No!" She suddenly wails. I back up. "Not you too! Not my baby! Nooo..." I stand still in confusion. Then I notice my reflection. Neon yellow eyes. Sharp teeth.

I gasp and turn around, hiding my face. But what does she mean? "I should've never you let you come to this town! I should've never come back here!" She continues. I slowly turn. "What do you mean?" Her face is tear-streaked and messy. I'm shocked. My perfect and orderly mother who's never had a hair out of place, is crying. "You don't know why I left this place." She gasps.

"You don't know why me and your uncle fell apart." I lean down to her height, trying to look gentle. "So tell me." I whisper. She shakes her head, and for a second I think she won't. But then she starts. "My brother got involved with those...monsters." Monsters? Does she mean the werewolves? But that's impossible! "Fell in love with one of them. Talia." She spits the name like a curse. I pale. 

"I warned him. I told him there was something not right about them, but he didn't listen. He became one of them, Ginny. And it killed him. They killed him!" She wails. "I don't understand. If they killed him, than how is Noah...?" She shakes her head.  "I lied to you, Regina. Noah's not your cousin. He's your brother." My whole world drops. What?! That's impossible. I take a shaky breath.

"Does he know?" Cordelia shakes her head. "No. When he was born, I couldn't bear the idea of having a son at just twenty, and my father, he shamed me. So I gave him up. But Ginny, I had no idea he'd ended up back in this town. When I heard, I just froze up." I shake my head in disbelief. So, this whole time, my cousin has been...my brother? He looks nothing like me.

Then I get a sick feeling. "Mom...who's Noah's father?" She stiffens. "I...I don't know." I close my eyes. Inhale. Exhale. So Noah must know he's adopted then. And this whole time! I'd had no idea just how uncomfortable this was for him. Taking in a "cousin" whose family he'd never met. And yet he'd never shown any hostility toward me. "They've got you too, now. You're one of them." Cordelia whispers. I shake my head, in disgust this time. "You should leave."

She looks up at me. "Now." Then she nods, stands up, and leaves out the door without another word. I just sit and stare at my reflection. This whole time, I've been living here under the same roof as my brother. I have a brother. At that moment, I hear keys rattling and the door opens to reveal an exhausted Noah. I laugh shortly to myself, then I get up and run to him. I throw my arms around him, and he stiffens up. Then he gradually hugs me back.

"What was that for?" He asks when I pull back. "Nothing. Just, grateful, I guess." He shrugs. A notion that reminds me startlingly of...me. "Where'd your mom go?" He asks. "Uhm, she left." He nods. "Well I'm going to bed. Claudia might be a little bit late. The hospital has asked her to stay overtime." Then it occurred to me that I never once wondered what Claudia's job was. Noah starts for the stairs.

"Hey, Noah?" He turns. "What does Claudia do?" He smiles. "She's a nurse." Then he turns and goes up the stairs. A nurse and a sheriff. They're made for each other.