The True Family

This Painful Scent

DEREK POV

I entered the parking lot of Beacon Hills High School. Since Isaac's father died, he was emancipated and since he didn't have a roof over his head, I ended up accepting him into the loft and here I am playing taxi every time his boyfriend doesn't have time to drive him back since he has to go straight to the vet where he works. I stop my car a little further back as I hate being stuck in the crowd of teenagers who don't care about the people who are trapped in this parking lot until they decide to move.

Luckily I only have to pick him up twice a week, otherwise I'd already be throwing the contents of his room out the window so he can find somewhere else to go. Either way, I'm sure Melissa couldn't refuse the combo attack of the begging puppy eyes, the only reason he doesn't live with Scott is because he doesn't want to be an extra burden on the single mother. Even if I have to admit that he really isn't a difficult roommate, if it weren't for the sound of his breathing and his heartbeat I could even believe I was still alone in the loft. Which goes to show that even when you're free from a violent person it's very difficult to get rid of old habits that consist of being as transparent as possible.

I watch my pack greet each other one last time around Scott's motorcycle. A little hug here, a big one there and then comes the dripping surge of love when Isaac hangs on Scott's neck to kiss him while he himself is leaning on his motorcycle which I suspect is struggling very hard not to collapse under their weight. I nod to Boyd who notices me and Erica's eyes quickly light up, realizing that I'm not far away. I let out a slight disapproving grunt that freezes under surprise when a car whizzes past right next to mine.

I got out of my car angry, but especially panicked by the cries of surprise from my betas. I slam the door and rush towards this police car whose owner is going to hear about me. The scene I have of Scott and Isaac curled up on each other behind the motorcycle while the car is only inches away from hitting it makes me lose my temper. I call the policeman an incompetent driver while he watches from his seat, nervous, the distance between him and the motorcycle. He is certainly realizing what could have happened if he hadn't braked in time. Although the fear that the wild wolf in me had for his betas makes me want to physically attack the man, I understand that all this was just an accident and that I can't let my anger out especially since I now have a werecoyote, who seems to have a hard time not showing her fangs at this very moment, to be an example to.

I approach her very quickly and grab her by the shoulder so that her attention turns to me then make my eyes shine just long enough with a rolling sound in my throat to submit her to my will before she can attack the one I now recognize as the new Sheriff in town.

The policeman gets out of the car and apologizes several times to my two betas who are slowly recovering from their anxiety. He then apologizes to me and since I feel that he is sincere I choose to forgive him and go make sure that Scott and Isaac are okay. I am impressed by the calmness Boyd has shown. Then, probably since I didn't answer, the policeman comes back with his apologies:

"Really, I'm sincerely sorry, I'm still learning to get used to the acceleration of this car, it's much more sensitive than the one I drove in New York."

"No one's hurt." I let out so that he's satisfied and leaves us alone.

"Well, you're right, still..." he begins before his attention turns to people who are calling his name.

My own attention is drawn in the same direction, two teenagers approach while sweeping the air with their arms to greet the one they call their father, yet although the smell and even their physical appearance prove that they are indeed brothers, nothing indicates that a family bond binds them to the man except for the sudden wave of affection that invades the parking lot. I could almost hold my nose if I hadn't been surprised by a much stronger smell first. I can't see who the smell is coming from until the younger of the two brothers runs to give their father a hug.

At that moment I feel like my legs are going to give out on me and I hold on to Scott's shoulder who had apparently smelled the same smell as me; that of blood. Except that seeing him proves the doubt that had crept into my mind when I understood that there was a lot of torment and distress in this smell. I don't know why my body reacts like this. Normally family dramas don't matter much to me, the only reason I had transformed Isaac by giving him the opportunity to become someone strong was because I needed a pack, I had only told myself that he wouldn't refuse given the violence he was suffering.

So why, now that I have no reason for it, do I feel the need to make his pain disappear? I turn to Isaac when his smell becomes painfully melancholic and my throat tightens, understanding that I'm really not imagining things, this kid is a victim of domestic violence like Isaac was at the time.

Why does what he's going through matter to me? I thought loudly as I turned to the loving scene of a father with his two children as their valet and most likely the biological son of the policeman carried their backpacks into the trunk of the car. I motioned for Isaac to follow me to my car, but my feet stopped working as I heard the lie in the heartbeat of the younger of the two brothers as he told the policeman that Mieczyslaw, which I supposed was the name of the biological son, had cheated on his notes again in class and that he had lost points because of him.

I pricked up my ears curious as to how the father would handle this information and turned around to watch him take the kid's backpack out of the trunk of the car and tell him to figure out how to get home and that he had to think about what he had done wrong before he set foot in their house again.

I was completely shocked that a parent could act so violently in front of so many witnesses. I want to intervene, but Isaac puts a hand on my shoulder, signaling no. I can't help but to have a sour face at his restrain as it hurt not to do anything, but quickly regain a neutral expression, surprised by my own emotion. I know very well that he is right, not only does it not concern us, but above all we would only make things worse for him once he gets home.

"I don't like it either, but for now we can't do anything." Isaac murmured, his attention focused on the hidden laughter of the brother who had complained.

"I know." I said irritated.

However, I take a step forward as soon as the boy is alone, I take a second step and growl when Isaac tries to hold me back, as a result he lets go of my shoulder and I move closer to the teenager whose bitterness pierces me to the heart. His wet eyes that were staring at the ground until then rose towards me and my throat went dry. I don't like seeing him cry, I want to take him in my arms... holy shit why do I want to comfort a kid?

A sound comes out of my parted lips as I am about to offer to drive him home, but our attention is disturbed by Scott who seemed to have had the same idea as me. Result; another sound escaped from between my lips, that of a moderate grunt more or less disturbed that I wasn't fast enough...

Wait...

Why would Scott offer to drive him home if he works? Anyway, the teenager's eyes widened at his offer and shook his head before starting to run. He stopped a few steps later to hold his stomach before starting to walk again more slowly.

I can't stop watching him as his scent fades more and more...

That of pain...

Of terror...

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