Teen Wolves

Four: Loud Silence

Hozier- Almost (Sweet Music) 

"What was it like for you?" Scott asked laying down next to me after we both took much-needed showers. 

"Painful," I answered quietly. "I was really scared," 

"Me too," he whispered. "I kind of left Allison at the party. I think I know who did this to us," 

"Who?" I asked mostly because I want to thank that person and hug him or her tightly with all my might. 

"That creepy guy from the woods. Derek Hale," I sat up looking over at him. "Sky, I need you to promise me that you're going to stay away from him and that you are not going to draw any attention to yourself," 

"I promise," I nodded. 

"Good," he sighed. "I'm gonna go to bed. Remember what we agreed on. You can't let others know," 

I lied with a smile on my face. Had Derek really done this to us? I have to ask him. Maybe I can go by the old house his family had lived in. I hope I can see him soon. The next morning mom knocked on my door as I began to get ready for work. Scott had practice.

"What time are you coming home tonight?" 

-Seven-

"I switched shifts with someone. It'll be a little longer so. Another late night," I sighed and just nodded. "I'm taking the day off for Scott's game," 

-Great- Single-word answers. Just great. 

"Alright," she let out a nervous chuckle. "I'll see you later then," 

-I'll text you- I promised. She nodded before leaving. 

After school, I went straight to the garage. I waved at Marvin who acknowledged me with a wave before sliding under a car. I started with inventory and slowly began to work my way to restocking the shelves. The front bell rang letting me know there was someone at the front desk. I pulled my earbuds out and made my way over to the front. 

There stood Derek Hale. I wanted to show him that whatever he had done to me gave me something really important and that if I couldn't share it with the world, in the very least I can share it with the person who had given me this gift. 

-Spark plugs?- I signed. He chuckled shaking his head. 

"I need you to take a look at something. Come outside?" I looked over at Marvin and pointed at Derek letting him know I was going to step out. He nodded waving me off from his toolbox. I followed him to his car. He walked towards the back and opened the trunk. "Are you okay?" 

"Yes," I spoke out loud. His worried expression turned into a smile before he composed himself. 

"It worked," 

"Derek," I said slowly. It kind of hurts to speak too quickly. "I don't understand what's happening," 

"I know. You and your brother are going through some changes. It's going to be difficult for you to control yourself," 

"On the full moon," he smirked. 

"No, not just on the full moon. Not for you," I sighed knowing what he meant. Not for me because I'm a girl. "Did Scott tell you what happened last night?" 

"He said he thinks you did this to us. Did you?" 

"Does it matter?" I shook my head. 

"Not really. Not to me. Thank you," 

"I know it's unfair for me to ask this of you but you can't tell people the truth. We have to come up with something. If they run tests on you it can expose us. Think you can manage?" I nodded. 

"I wasn't planning on telling anyone anyway. I don't know what to say," I looked into the trunk to see a leaf from the tea he had given me. I reached for it holding it up. "It was the tea, wasn't it? This isn't licorice root," 

"It's a special kind of wolf's bane. Targets all the damaged tissue in your body and burns it. As it heals your body, it pushes it out," 

"Which is why I threw up," he nodded. "Spearmint and licorice root," 

"What?" 

"That's what I'm going to tell them. I won't be able to hide this forever but I can deal with my mom," he nodded. 

"If you need help with anything. Let me know," He handed me a piece of paper. "Let me help you," 

"My brother wants me to stay away from you," 

"Yeah, he's not as accepting of this as you. Not yet anyway," I nodded. 

"He's kind of headstrong. The more you tell him no. The more he'll fight you," he sighed. "Daddy issues and all that,"

"Yeah, I'm starting to figure that out myself. Be careful. If you feel it try to get away from anyone around you. Especially Scott. Your anger might set his off and it wouldn't be good for the two of you to get upset with one another in public," I nodded turning away. He stopped me. "Sky?"

"Yeah," 

"You have a beautiful voice," I felt my face heat up and for the first time in a long time, I smiled for real. Words can't explain how much this means to me. 

"Thanks, Derek. I owe you a lot more than I can give," he shook his head. 

"No, you don't owe me anything. I'm here to help. Whatever is going on, it's going to take all of us to try and stop it. You two turning is just the beginning. You should pass that on to your brother. Maybe stop him from playing that game Saturday," 

"What? You have no idea the kind of pressure that he's under because of that game. Odds are he's not gonna sit it out. It's not really up to him," he sighed. 

"It'll be on him if he kills someone out there," I looked down at the paper in my hands and nodded. "He could expose us all. Him hurting someone out there is the least of our problems,"

"I'll see what I can do then," 

He didn't say anything as he got in his car and drove off. I walked back inside and opened up the paper he gave me to see his phone number written on it. I saved it on my phone and put it away. The rest of the day was uneventful. 

How the hell am I going to explain this to my mom? To anyone. Will they believe it was the tea or the combination of the tea and the medicine I'm taking? What kind of tests are they going to try and run on me when they find out my voice came back all of a sudden? 

"You look so stressed out," I looked up at Marvin and smiled. "You sleeping okay?" 

-The new medicine I'm taking is something else- I lied writing it down in my notepad. Partially. 

"Yeah? Keeping you up?" I shook my head. 

-No, but it's definitely doing something- 

"Good or bad?" 

-We'll see- I shrugged. 

"I hope it's good then. I have a list of things I need ordering. Think you can manage?" he placed a list in front of me. 

-Yes- I nodded taking it from him. 

He lightly tapped my shoulder before going back into the garage. I began to look for the things he had written down for me. That wasn't a bad lie. The new medicine I'm taking can take the blame for everything. They wouldn't test my blood and I'd have to take speech classes with a therapist which I can use. My voice is really broken and I'm going to need management with it. Maybe it's time for me to speak up for once.