The Tigress | Teen Wolf | Derek Hale

Chapter Eleven- The Kiss

When Derek finally barged into the loft, he did not look happy.

"Where is everyone?" Tala asked.

"Jennifer got away," he grumbled.

Tala chuckled. "Of course she did. What about the kids?"

"Stiles and Val are at the hospital stalling the cops," Derek said.

"And Scott?" Tala inquired.

Derek stopped his frantic movement as he laid Cora down on the bed. "He's gone."

"Gone?" Tala asked. "What do you mean, gone?"

"He's gone," Derek repeated.

"Like he's dead–"

"Like he went with Deucalion!" Derek snapped finally, leaving Tala silent. "And Jennifer took Melissa."

Tala lowered herself back down into her seat, trying to process the events that had occurred that night.

"Jesus," she muttered.

Next through the doors came Issac and Peter.

Issac walked up to Derek cautiously, watching Cora on the bed.

"She's dying isn't she?" Issac asked.

"I don't know," Derek said in a low voice.

"So what are you gonna do?" Issac asked.

"I don't know," Derek repeated.

"Want to figure something out?" Issac continued. "Because while Scott and Stiles were out there trying to help people from being killed, you were in here, rolling around the sheets with the actual killer." Derek was silent. "Do you get how many people she's killed? Erica and Boyd are dead, Cora is dying, and you are doing nothing! Why'd you do this to us, Derek? Was it all about the power? Were you bored? Were you lonely?"

"Maybe," Derek said, finally looking up at the teenage boy. "I told Cora I wouldn't leave. I'll help the others when I figure out how to help her."

"There's no time!" Issac shot. He turned to the door, making his way across the loft and yanking it open. "The full moon's coming. The Sheriff and Melissa are gonna be dead, so I'm gonna try and help them. You can sit here and perfect the art of doing nothing." The door slammed, and Issac was gone.

"I wouldn't take it personally," Peter drawled. "Anger is just a tool. He's using it to excuse shifting allegiance from one alpha to another. From you to Scott."

"Scott's not an alpha yet," Derek mumbled.

"But he has his own pack already, doesn't he?" Tala said.

Derek didn't look at her.

Next to him, Cora gasped in pain. Derek immediately reached over, grabbing her forearm. Tala watched as the black veins stretched across his body. He was taking her pain.

"Careful," Peter warned.

Cora sighed in relief, and Derek pulled away, wincing.

"Don't worry," Derek grumbled. "I know going too far could kill me."

"That's not exactly what I meant," Peter drawled.

"What are you talking about?" Tala asked.

Peter sighed, stepping forward. "I've heard it's something only an Alpha can do, and with good reason."

"Which is?" Derek snapped.

"You know normal wolves never abandon an injured member of the pack," Peter began to explain. "They care for it. They bring it food from a kill, and then regurgitate it into the mouth of the injured wolf. They even give it physical and emotional comfort by intensely grooming it. In a way, they can do more than just ease pain. They can be instrumental in healing their own."