Amour de Chiot (Liam Dunbar x Fem OC)

1

I roll onto my side for about the thousandth time tonight. My eyes search the darkness of my room and land on my alarm clock. The numbers read 4:01 am. I'm finding it impossible to fall completely asleep, even though I'm extremely tired. That's what worrying will do to you, I guess.

I've determined to make myself fall asleep by counting. It's something I've always done when I used to have trouble falling asleep. I just count as high as I can go before I lose track and also lose consciousness. A loud metallic clatter draws me out of my almost-sleep.

Sitting up slowly, I pull the covers back and tiptoe to my door. I crack it open and listen carefully. Voices are coming from downstairs and I recognize one to be my father. Once I realize who the other voice is, I breathe a sigh of relief. Then, as their footsteps hurry up the stairs, my veins fill with anger.

I wait for them to almost pass my room before swinging the door open. His feet freeze in place while his shoulders jump. "Ev! What are you doing up?" He asks worriedly.

"It's past four in the morning, Scott," I point out while narrowing my eyes. "Where the hell have you been?"

He guiltily avoids my eyes and I know that they didn't just go camping. "We had to find Derek," he sighs. I roll my eyes, frustration flaring up again. But before I can complain, his eyes meet mine apologetically. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I knew you'd want to help. But, you're safer if you don't get in the middle of it," he explains the way he always does.

"Just because you're a True Alpha, doesn't mean you can leave me out of stuff. I'm fifteen, Scott. Not an invalid," I whisper furiously as not to make our father come upstairs. He opens his mouth to rebuttal but I cut him off. "No! You only tell me things after the fact, or when I'm already in the middle of it. Neither of those are particularly safe options," I pout.

He sighs and reaches out to pull me into a hug. I let him. "Evelyn, I'm trying my best. I already worried about you before becoming a werewolf...you're human. You can't protect yourself the way the rest of us can," he tries.

"Stiles is human!" I protest.

Scott chuckles as he finally releases me from the hug. "Stiles isn't my baby sister, though." I roll my eyes and cross my arms. "Listen," he says gently. "You're still part of the pack. Ev, you were the first person even in the pack. Way before I was a werewolf. You just...have to be patient and we'll find you a way to help that doesn't get you hurt," he promises.

"Yeah...okay," I sigh. He half-smiles as he says goodnight and heads to his room. I close my door and head back to bed. We used to be inseparable. It was him, Stiles and I against the world. I wish I could say that it's the whole werewolf thing that has him treating me differently.

But, it's not. Both of them started treating me differently before that. It's hard for them to break their protectiveness even though there's nothing they can do. Well, nothing Stiles can do. I just want to help without being a liability. I head back to bed and after that exhausting conversation, I don't even need to count.

A few days later I'm at school, closing my locker after the final class of the day. Scott and Stiles mosey up to me as we make our way toward the locker room.

"Hey, Nixie!" Stiles chortles and throws his arm around me. I grin at the nickname that only he's allowed to use.

"How was school today? Everything go alright?" Scott asks with that worried tone masked by curiosity.

"Scotty, it was fine," I chuckle. "Just like every other school day. You realize that I'm fine, right?" I ask as I look at him amusedly.

Stiles interjects before he can answer, "Well, there's no such thing as being too careful. Right?" He smiles reassuringly with a squeeze of my shoulders.