I love you, Im sorry - Derek Hale

6

Vivian wasn't sure how long it had been since the last attack, but it felt like the danger was always lingering just out of sight. The pack had regrouped at Derek's loft, trying to come up with a plan to track down the Kanima before it caused more damage. But there was an undercurrent of tension, an unspoken weight in the room that had nothing to do with the creature itself.

Chris Argent had arrived a few hours ago, and Vivian could sense his presence before he even spoke. She knew the man well enough to understand the subtle shifts in his demeanor, the way his eyes narrowed as he scanned the room.

"You're still here," Chris said, his voice sharp as he looked directly at Vivian.

She straightened, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I'm not going anywhere."

Chris's lips tightened, but he didn't press the issue. The past had always been a complication between them, and tonight it seemed to be bubbling up once again. She knew he was wondering where her loyalties lay.

"I don't trust him," Chris said quietly, his gaze flicking toward Derek.

Vivian's stomach tightened at the mention of Derek's name. "You don't have to," she responded evenly, her tone betraying nothing. "But this isn't about him. It's about protecting Alexis—and the pack."

Chris's gaze softened, just a fraction, but his voice was still filled with suspicion. "And where does that leave you, Vivian? Still playing the game with the Hale family?"

She clenched her fists, fighting the urge to snap back. Her relationship with her father had been strained at best, but now, after everything that had happened, it was more fragile than ever. It wasn't just the pain of the past—it was the uncertainty of where she stood.

"I'm not playing any games," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm trying to figure out where I belong. But I don't need you to tell me who I should trust."

Chris was silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a resigned sigh, he shook his head. "You've always been caught in the middle, haven't you?"

Vivian nodded slowly, the weight of his words settling over her like a cloud. She had always been caught between two worlds—the McCall world, and the Hale world. But now, with the Kanima in the mix and the Argents' pursuit of Derek's pack, it was becoming harder to tell which side she was on.

"Maybe it's time I stop trying to figure it out," she said quietly.

Chris's eyes softened. "Maybe. But whatever you decide, you still be my daughter. And I won't let anything happen to you. I miss you, Vivian."

The words felt like a promise, and at that moment, Vivian realized that Chris wasn't just trying to protect his family—he was trying to protect her too. And maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to work together again.

But only time would tell if Vivian's loyalty would remain steadfast—or if the pack's threats would pull her further from everything she once knew.

She ran up to her dad and hugged him. A comfort that she hadn't felt from him in far too long. "I love you dad."