Teen Beasts 🐾 S.S.

Status Asthmaticus part 2

Derek was leaning against his minivan with Maggie sitting inside, feeding some formula to Jason. They were at a corner facing the local high school which was now littered with teenagers heading out to enjoy their weekend. When he spotted his sister, Derek gave the windshield a tap to signal Maggie and she came out, with Jason in her arms, just as she came over.

"Well?" Derek asked her.

Cora sighed and shook her head. "Ruben didn't show up today."

"Oh, well that would be quite a coincidence," he muttered. "The little twerp taking off before I can find him and ring his damn neck."

"Nice, that's very nice Derek."

He rested his hands on his hips as Cora moved to take her son from Maggie. Derek couldn't believe it. She still wanted to try and give Ruben the benefit of some doubt. Even with all the evidence against him. Why? Is it because she had actually come to like the twerp? He'd been there before, and look where that got everyone. Hell, look where Cora's trust got her already.

Yet, as he moved to send a small glare at the baby in her arms, he seemed to turn his head and look straight up at him. Jason, his nephew, his brown eyes, Hale eyes, were staring hard into his own. And Derek seemed to deflate right there. He hated himself for having that last thought. Jason was his family. His pack. He was probably the only real good thing to happen to their family in years.

Maggie moved and laid a hand on Derek's shoulder. "Hey, calm down," she steadily told him. "Going off at each other is not going to get us anywhere."

Derek let out a deep sigh as he moved to try and pace off some of his tension. "Okay, okay," he said to himself. He then stopped and looked over at Cora. "Have you tried calling him?"

She nodded. "Yeah, twice. He's not picking up. Not answering to any of my texts either."

"Then we try his house," Maggie put in. "You have his address?" she asked Cora.

"Yeah," she said.

Derek then moved for the driver's seat. "Alright, then let's go."

They went and pulled up to a high end suburban neighborhood that reminded the Hale siblings a bit of home. It closely resembled where Scott and Stiles lived.

"That's it," Cora said, pointing the house out.

Derek went and pulled the car in about two houses down. "Okay, now what?"

Maggie cleared her throat. "Leave this one to me."

She then got out without another word and started to walk up to the house. Derek and Cora spared each other a small look before they let their senses hone in just as Maggie moved to knock on the door. A moment later, a woman with long, curly auburn hair answered the door.

"Hello, I'm Ms. Carson. I'm with the school's guidance office. I was wondering if I could speak with Ruben."

"Oh, he's not here right now. He never got back home from school."

"Well, actually mam, your son didn't show up for school today."

"Ruben's not our son actually. He's our foster son. And whatever he's done, I'll be sure to have me and my husband give him a talking to when he gets back home."

Maggie blinked at her tone. "Actually, as far as I know he hasn't done anything, I was coming here out of concern."

"Oh, concern. I have to admit, that's a change in shift from last year."

"Uh, would you mind if we talked inside for a bit. I feel I might be missing something."

From inside the mini-van, a teen wolf agreed with her.