Howling to the Heart || Isaac Lahey

72.

Stiles was on the verge of completely breaking. Anyone could see it from the moment Blake took his father. The three of them had blown up Derek's phone as they paced around his loft. Neriah's cousin had been at the hospital with Cora because her condition was getting worse. She hadn't even known Cora went to the hospital until Scott told her on the drive to the loft. And they were sure Derek wasn't going to leave his sister alone with Peter until he finally answered Neriah's call and the only sentence she had to say was: 'Blake's the Darach.'

That got him to the loft within five minutes, even with the raging storm brewing outside that had caused half the town to lose power. But once he did arrive, Scott and Stiles jumped into an explanation about what happened with them while she informed him what happened with her, Allison, and Isaac. The whole loft had become its own storm of panic, anxiety, anger, and worry.

Derek looked devastated because the woman he loved and trusted was the Darach. The dark druid who had been sacrificing innocents and attempted to kill Lydia tonight. Even with his heart clearly shattered, he still believed them and while he waited in his loft for Blake who had parked her car out the front minutes ago, Scott, Stiles, and Neriah were hiding in the shadows, waiting for her to walk through the door.

Stiles was barely holding it together as he stayed between Neriah and Scott, latching onto her hand like he might lose himself if he let go. Scott was furious, Neriah could smell it and see it on his face. She was a calm storm ready to be unleashed when needed, ready to avenge Mr. Stilinski and Derek for what Blake had done.

Metal grinded against metal as the loft door opened, followed by a cry, "Derek?" Neriah held herself back as Blake rushed into the middle of the room with her heels clicking. "Derek, where are you?"

"Right here," Derek said, stepping out from where he had been hiding with a calm face.

"Thank god," Blake sighed, rushing toward him. Lightening flashed outside as she threw her arms around his neck, the two of them hugging each other, the sight making Neriah hold back a growl. "Something happened at the recital. At the school," she rushed out, pulling away from him. "Okay, I need to tell you before you hear it, before you hear any of it from them."

Derek furrowed his brows. "From who?"

"Scott, Stiles, Neriah," Blake answered and then took in a sharp breath. "They're gonna tell you things. Things you can't believe. You have to trust me, okay? You trust me."

"What is it?" Derek asked her, acting lost.

"Promise you'll listen to me," she begged him as Neriah rolled her eyes.

"I promise," Derek lied and Neriah heard his heart uptick.

Blake stared at him for a second and Neriah was worried she didn't believe him until she kissed him, grabbing his shoulder as he grabbed her waist. But even from where Neriah was, she could see Derek was too still. And Blake noticed it too.

Blake slowly pulled away, taking a step back. "They're already here, aren't they?" Derek looked over his shoulder to the trio and they walked out of hiding, right into Blake's view as she looked at them and then down at her hands. "So they told you it was me? That I'm the one taking people?"

"We told him you're the one killing people," Scott snapped with anger laced in his tone.

"Oh, that's right," Blake bitterly said with a laugh. "Committing human sacrifices? What, cutting their throats? Yeah, I probably do it on my lunch hour. That way, I can get back to teaching high school English the rest of the day. That makes perfect sense."

"Where's my dad?" Stiles demanded with a firm voice, despite the single tear that ran down his face as he latched onto Neriah's hand tighter.

"How should I know?" Blake sent him a fake confused look.