The Dangers of Falling (in Love)

Chapter 43-

*5pm Christmas Eve*

"How much alcohol would we need to pack for everyone tonight?" Erica asks as she starts putting bottles of beer into the cooler.

"Don't forget to pack some lemonade or Pepsi for Stiles, Scott and Isaac since there will be cops around the parade and they are still underage." Boyd responds as he pulls his phone out making sure he hasn't got any notifications when he notices he has one from the group chat a few hours ago. After reading the first sentence he gets Erica and they both read Allison's paragraph together.

"Fuck. I knew they were with this Kate lady!" Erica shouts as Boyd begins typing his reply.

"Can't Derek just enjoy one Christmas and be happy? Is that too much to ask for?!" Erica questions out load as she walks back behind the bar to continue packing the drinks since the parade starts in less than an hour.

Before Boyd has a chance to respond to Erica the front door of the bar gets slammed open. The two of them turn around quickly in surprise to find a blonde woman wearing a black leather jacket and tight denim jeans with black boots. She walks in followed by two men which Erica recognises as the men from yesterday.

"We're closed." Erica shouts trying to play it cool knowing that the blonde lady was definitely Kate Argent. Erica glances over at Boyd who stands by the pool table watching them carefully.

"And I need information." Kate responds as she continues walking before stopping right in front of the bar with her men behind her either side.

"And I need people who can actually read a fucking closed sign on my door." Erica bites back not taking any of Kate's shit. The woman is lucky Erica has to play it cool otherwise she would have punched her so many times for what she did to Derek's family.

"What do you want?" Boyd questions taking a few steps closer to Kate.

"I want to know if you have seen this man. His name is Derek Hale." Kate says holding up the same photo of Derek showing it to both Erica and Boyd.

"I'm gonna tell you exactly what I told your little buddies over there. I have never seen him before. Now are you finished? I have to get ready for the parade." Erica replies but by the expression on Kate's face she was far from finished.

"Why are you lying to me?" Kate asks folding her arms as she stares at Erica. "Other locals my men have spoken to said that they have seen Derek around the area. Yet you say you have never seen him."

"He doesn't look familiar. New people come and go through the bar every day-" Erica begins explaining when suddenly Kate leans over the bar grabbing Erica by the collar of her shirt pulling the girl towards her.

"Hey!" Boyd shouts running towards Kate but before he could reach her, her two men grab him from either side and pin him against the wall.

"I'm gonna ask again. Does the name Derek Hale ring any bells?" Kate questions in Erica's ear as she pushes the side of Erica's face against the bar mat.

"If it did, I would have told you." Erica responds trying to fight against Kate's grip.

"Now..." Kate begins to say trailing off as she catches sight of a certain photo pinned up on the wall behind Erica.

Tightening her grip on Erica's collar she walks around to her side of the bar. To get a closer look at the photo and Erica's heart sinks knowing exactly what photo she was looking at. It was the one they took at Melissa's birthday with all of them together in it.

"Bingo." Kate says with a grin as she takes the photo off the wall holding it in Erica's face. "Does this guy look familiar to you now?" Kate questions in a harsh tone as she points at Derek in the photo.