Bonded

Chapter Two

Talia sighed, taking in her sons hunched shoulders. "Derek," she called. Derek turned to address her and Talia smiled. "It's nice to see you," she breathed into his side, embracing him in a warm hug.

She could smell the agony coming from the young man. Being the head alpha of the house she could sense what the others were feeling. This was why Derek's room was a hard one to walk into. Dread hung in the air, a thick smoke covering the room.

She knew that somewhere out there was Derek's mate. She hoped with all of her being that nothing had happened to them, Derek couldn't continue to live this way much longer.

"So tell me, what have you and my son been talking about," Talia asked Peter, eyeing him. She knew that he was once a bad influence to the child, having one of his own had straightened him out over the years. That didn't make his story any easier to think about though. Peter's room was another room she dared not enter frequently.

"You know what we've been talking about, sister," Peter's lips turned up in a small smile and his eyes held and knowing look.

"Derek, why don't you come to my room for a while, I want to speak to you for a bit and your father won't be home until later."

Derek looked slightly concerned. "Why?"

Talia smiled. "Just come on. I have a surprise."

She winked at Peter, he had been in on it all along. It was a small present, she had bought it out of admiration and couldn't wait four months to give it to Derek on his birthday.

Talia led the way to her bedroom and Derek clomped along behind. She opened the door and instructed Derek to sit on the bed while she went to dig through her closet.

Derek seemed nervous as his mother brought out a black shopping bad. She lifted a leather jacket out slowly and smile. "Surprise!"

Derek's eyes went wide. "Just like grandpas."

Talia remembered her father and she remembered the leather jacket that had adjourned his shoulders at all times. His wolf had been buried with that jacket around its shoulders.

"I found it while I was out of town. Why don't you try it on?"

Derek slipped his arms in the jacket that looked like it was made for him. The warm feel of it brought back memories of his late grandfather and that brought a sort of closure to the troubled young man. It was warm and comforting, just the thing he needed these days.

"Mom..." Derek whispered. "I love it," he said slowly with a genuine smile. Then hot tears welled in his tired eyes. "Will I ever find them?"

"Oh sweetie," Talia sat down beside Derek, rubbing his back. "I can't imagine what you're going through, so I'm not going to pretend that I do. I just want you to know that you can always talk to me, and I know Peter is ok with conversation from his favorite nephew."

"I'm his only nephew, mom," Derek rolled his eyes.

"That just means you have your own special place in his heart sweetie. How about you lay down for a bit?"

Derek nodded and lied on his mothers bed. Talia lied behind him and rubbed his head, sent marking the confused boy. Derek fell asleep after a few minutes and Talia smiled, remembering the same Derek as a small boy, climbing into her bed after a bad dream. Talia knew it was hard but Derek would make it. She had heard when Peter called him strong and she completely agreed.

"""

Derek woke in his mothers bed alone. He had a funny feeling as his whole body tingled. He had to go. Now.

Derek climbed out of bed, alarmed. He briskly walked downstairs. After slipping his shoes on and grabbing his keys, his mother called him into the living room.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Her eyes were large with worry and Peter's face matched hers. Laura, his older sister, was sitting behind them in a large chair writing on a notepad.

"I have to go," he said. That got all of their attentions.

"Where?" Peter asked.

"I don't know," was all Derek said as he all but ran out of the room.

Talia smiled a knowing smile. "It's finally them."

"Took long enough," responded Peter.

"""

Derek drove all through the night. He stopped once to get gas and then was back on the rode. Six long hours later the pulling in his chest was starting to fade.

Welcome to Beacon Hills! was the sign that greeted him in the next step of his journey.