Howling to the Heart || Isaac Lahey

6.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked me the next morning as we stood beside the front of the jeep, waiting for officers to bring out Derek from my burnt family home.

"No," I admitted truthfully for the first time in months. Nothing about this was okay and it hurt more than I liked it too.

I was starting to trust Derek, thinking he would actually care for me like family was supposed to. But no. He killed his sister and no doubt he was planning to kill me too.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" he asked, looking down at me.

I took in a deep breath, shaking my head. "Not this time," I said and then stood up straighter when I saw Derek being escorted out of the house by an officer and Sheriff Stilinski. "Don't get involved," was all I said to Scott before storming toward Derek with anger.

"Riah!" he whisper shouted but didn't make a move to stop me. Good, I didn't want him too.

Derek's brows raised when he saw me, and a scowl captured his face. By the time the officer and Sheriff Stilinski noticed me, it was too late.

I threw my arm forward, connecting my fist against Derek's surprisingly hard face. "How could you?" I yelled, ignoring the other officers and Sheriff Stilinski rushing for me. "How could you do that?"

Derek opened and closed his mouth a few times, the sound of his jaw popping filling the air as Sheriff Stilinski grabbed my arms, pulling me back.

"You lied to me, Derek! I thought I could trust you!" I shouted, not bothering to fight against the strong hold on my arms.

"I didn't lie to you!" Derek yelled back, still being held by the officer. "We're family, Neriah. You've got no other family but me. Don't forget that."

"I don't want you to ever come into my life again," I spat, flipping him off as Sheriff Stilinski pulled me further away.

"She's got a family," Sheriff Stilinski said to Derek with a warning tone. "She's a part of my family."

I snapped my eyes up to him, not believing he just said that as he pulled me toward the other side of the house. Mr. Stilinski just told Derek and anyone in hearing range that I'm a part of his family.

I'm a part of his family.

"What's gotten into you, kid?" he asked me in a stern voice, stopping us near the front of the house. "You can't just hit anyone like that. Especially not in front of my officers."

"I know her," I said, taking a step back as he let go of me. "I know who he killed."

To say he looked baffled was an understatement. "You know her? Who is she?"

"She's my cousin Laura," I said, looking to my feet. "Derek's sister."

"And you found her with the boys," he sighed, looking back at Derek being put in the back of the cruiser. "Kid, I'm sorry," he said with a genuine look. "That explains why Stiles was freaking out about you all night."

"Will be going into a cell for hitting him?" I quietly asked, glancing behind him to see Stiles sneak into the front seat of the cruiser. I hid my surprise, looking back to his dad.

"There's a few things I'll need to go through back at the station," he said and I nodded. "Why don't you go back to Scott and Stiles? Go grab something to eat and tonight I'll meet you at the game to watch my son sit on the bench."

I quietly laughed, giving him a smile. "I'll save you a seat then," I said, walking away as he smiled.

I made it a few steps away from him before he said, "And Riah." I stopped, looking over my shoulder at him. "I meant what I said, you're a part of my family, kid. Don't forget that, ever."