Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/876554.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      F/M
  Fandom:
      Teen_Wolf_(TV)
  Relationship:
      Isaac_Lahey/Erica_Reyes, Derek_Hale/Stiles_Stilinski
  Character:
      Isaac_Lahey, Erica_Reyes, Vernon_Boyd, Scott_McCall, Stiles_Stilinski,
      Derek_Hale, Jackson_Whittemore
  Series:
      Part 3 of United_As_A_Broken,_Fucked_Up_Mess.
  Stats:
      Published: 2013-07-09 Chapters: 4/4 Words: 8716
****** Choking On An Apology ******
by any_otp_will_do
Summary
     In which Erica ran away with Boyd and broke Isaac's heart. Now that
     she's back, she has to find a way to correct her mistake. I'm really
     a fan of vulnerable Erica for this one. I know she has a soft side
     under that hard and guarded demeanor. (Written with the way things
     were going before season 3 started up)
***** Talk To Me *****
"How is he?" Erica asked. Gone was the leather and the confident demeanor. She
stood in front of them in a ripped t-shirt and jeans, dirt smudged and healing
from many cuts and scrapes.
She was standing outside of the Hale house in front of Stiles and Scott who
were side by side, arms crossed.
"Well… he's not happy." Scott evaded.
"Is he mad?" Her hair was mussed and her fiery red lipstick smudged. She looked
deflated and small, like a lost child.
"Mad? Well, he's used to abandonment and abuse by now." Stiles muttered
angrily. "What were you thinking? Running away with Boyd wasn't only stupid
and rude, it was dangerous. You both could have been killed."
"Yeah, thanks mom." Erica snapped back. "I already feel bad. I didn't mean—I
didn't run away with Boyd for that reason. It's not what any of you think!" Her
voice broke and she looked at the ground.
Stiles backed down. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Then… why did you leave with Boyd?" Scott asked. His puppy face was out and
Erica would drink a wolfsbane cocktail before she admitted how adorable it was.
She shifted uncomfortably, eyes back on the ground. She didn't want to tell
them. It wasn't their business.
"Erica, you're going to have to explain eventually. You might as well get it
out there now." Stiles was gentle but firm.
Erica sighed. "I was— I didn't know what to do. Okay? Boyd told me he was
running. I went along, not even thinking about anything else. I… I thought he
was right."
It hadn't taken long before they were bickering about turning back. When she
and Boyd had heard the howling in the woods, they ran with their metaphorical
tails between their legs. They had returned together and quickly parted ways,
Boyd to his house and Erica to make amends. She grimaced as she looked up at
Scott and Stiles.
"I—I didn't know what else to do." She admitted.
Stiles sighed, "Okay. Well, you might as well go talk to him."
"Go talk to him? Don't you think he's already heard this entire conversation?"
Erica was exasperated. The boys shared a look. "What? Why wouldn't he have
heard—Oh my god—is he okay? What happened to him?" Immediately her teeth and
nails were extending.
"Jesus, nothing happened to him!" Stiles exclaimed. "Put your fangs away,
Shakira."
The blonde looked at him with a confused and disgusted expression.
"Shakira—She wolf? No? Ugh… fine." Erica rolled her eyes at the pop culture
reference. "He's been listening to classic rock through head phones since you
left."
"Yeah, it's actually getting hard to listen to. I don't know how he can stand
it being so close to his ears."
Now that Erica was paying attention, she too could hear the bass and drums from
far away. She looked up to his window, noticing his room was dark. "D'you—do
you think he hates me?" She asked in a small voice.
"I would." Scott said. Stiles elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow! It's true."
"Just go talk to him. That's the only way to fix this."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Erica blew out a swift gust of air as she stood outside Isaac's door, running a
hand through her hair to tame it. She raised her hand to knock, but thought
better of it. She could hear Isaac's music full blast inside, and guessed he
wouldn't hear her knock anyway. She deliberated for a moment before slowly
opening the door.
The door revealed a room lit by only the sun coming through the windows. It was
almost neat, with stacks of books and CDs placed on windowsills and
bookshelves, or anywhere possible. His desk held a laptop, a few textbooks, and
more CDs and books. His bed was pushed to the wall on the opposite side.
He was lying down on his bed, eyes closed. Big headphones covered his ears and
his foot moved to the beat. She could hear Led Zeppelin pounding out in waves
as she leaned up against the frame of his door. The light from the windows
played in his tawny hair and her hand itched to join it. She watched as his
nostrils flared, knowing her scent had permeated the room.
The music stopped, and the sudden lack of sound made her feel bare. She could
hear the ceased sound and movement downstairs before Derek's "Get out." The
house was quickly vacated and the bang of the front door and the rev of two
engines were the only noises for a long while.
"Why are you here, Erica?" He didn't sound angry. He sounded tired.
Erica bit her lip and started forward, but then stopped. "I came to say I'm
sorry. I didn't—"
"What?" He stood up quickly and walked a few paces toward her. "You didn't
what? Didn't mean to run away with Boyd? Didn't mean to leave without saying
goodbye?" He didn't yell. He hated yelling, which was understandable. His lip
quivered. "You didn't even say goodbye." He sat back down on his bed, head in
his hands.
"I—"
"What do you want, Erica?" He asked wearily.
"I want to apologize—"
"No, what do you want?"
"I want you to not be mad at me." Erica cried. Her breaths came faster and she
rushed to say her piece before he cut her off. "I didn't think about what I was
doing. I was misguided and freaked the fuck out. And scared. I was scared."
Isaac picked his head up from his hands and looked at her. His eyes softened
and he extended his arms, inviting her to them. She rushed into his embrace,
muffling her breathing against his neck. She inhaled, enjoying his warm clean
scent. He smelled like mint gum and old books.
"Why didn't you come to me?" Isaac asked softly. It was easy to hear the hurt
in his voice. She pulled back, and looked at her feet.
"I didn't want to pull you away from here. Derek, Scott, Stiles? They're your
family. I didn't really fit in the same. I didn't want to take you away from
the first place you've called home in so long."
They sat in silence, just thinking and listening to each other's breathing.
Slowly, Isaac's hand closed over her own. Their fingers intertwined and his
thumb rubbed over her knuckle. A smile began to build on her face and she
looked up at him, only a small hint of fear and guilt in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Isaac. I'm just so sorr—"
"I forgive you." He murmured, "Don't worry."
They were close now, their bodies drawn towards each other like magnets. She
could hear his heart rate increasing and she knew hers was as well. His eyes
flashed gold as they flickered to her lips. Her lungs worked hard to drag in a
single breath as she looked at his mouth as well. They slowly leaned into each
other, his breath washing over her face before their mouths met.
He was inexperienced, that much was clear, but Erica didn't mind. His lips were
soft and sweet against hers, even though his heart pounded and his hands shook.
Her eyes fluttered closed as she made a small high noise of satisfaction. His
mouth stilled for a moment, but she drew him closer with a hand on the back of
his neck. Her fingers twisted in his bronze curls, encouraging him. She
desperately wanted him to hold her. She got her wish.
His arms circled her waist, playing with the hair that fell down her back to
his hands. She shivered as his fingers sent tingles up her spine. She smiled,
feeling the curl of his lips as well. Almost shyly, her mouth parted, a tongue
darting out to quickly taste his bottom lip.
He drew back, tongue between his teeth, looking at her intently. His eyes
burned gold as their gaze met. With a hand curled into her blonde hair this
time, he ducked back down to gather her lips in his.
He learned the contours of her mouth quickly, teasing and questing expertly.
Her stomach coiled and uncoiled deliciously, his warmth sinking into her and
fueling her want. Beneath her ribcage, her wolf curled up beneath her heart.
Tucking its nose into its side, the wolf yawned, closed its amber eyes, and
fell asleep.
Erica pulled back in shock. Her surprise must have shown on her face because
Isaac looked concerned. "Are you okay?"
"My wolf…" Erica said dazedly, "Fell asleep…"
"Yeah?" He asked, comprehension dawning on his face.
"It hasn't done that before… not even when I sleep." Erica let a brilliant
smile spread over her face. "I think I've found my anchor."
***** Read To Me *****
When all was said and done, when it was the end of the day and there was no
more strutting or threatening to do, Erica liked to relax. Little did many
people know, she had a fondness for over-sized sweaters and reading by the fire
place at her mom's house. Her mom was rarely ever home. She had other more
important things to do like hang out with her fiancé and go to wine tastings
and travel the globe. She left for weeks at a time, and when she came home—when
she remembered she had a daughter—she would take a few sleeping pills, complain
about being tired, and promptly crash on the couch.
So in the weeks of being alone, Erica would pretend it was her house. She would
come home from school or pack hang outs and kick off her leather boots and pull
her hair into a messy bun as she tripped up the stairs in her hurry to get out
of her clothes. She loved wearing tight outfits and sexy colors, she really
did, but there was a time and place for everything. And home was a place for
ugly sweaters and slippers.
She would walk downstairs in a sweater long enough to be a dress and a pair of
fuzzy slippers, and make a beeline for the kitchen. Luckily, her mother kept a
jar of money—a pretty good amount of money—on the counter. She'd been using it
to buy food and keep herself funded over the three years of neglect. Every time
her mother came home, she would add a little more to the jar, never seeming to
notice that money was missing. Or maybe she didn't care. Or maybe this was her
way of "taking care" of Erica. She wouldn't say anything about anything.
That was the reason she had stopped taking her medicine for epilepsy. She
wasn't being rebellious or trying to kid herself into not needing it; she had
prioritized and determined she needed the money elsewhere. Like feeding
herself. It was just lucky she didn't have siblings or a dad to take care of.
No, dad had walked out a long time ago.
She didn't tell Derek about any of this. She didn't want him to insist on her
moving into the Pack house full time. While she spent a fair amount of time
there, she liked having her own place—sort of. She wouldn't like having to keep
up appearances all day every day. And she didn't want to be teased when Scott
learned about her love of sweaters and cats.
Besides, there was too much testosterone in the house, what with Derek, Scott,
Stiles, Boyd, and Jackson. (Sometimes) Jackson spent most of his time with
Lydia or at his parent's house. He only came when necessary or when bored.
Stiles, however, had quickly fit in as Pack mom. He and Derek had a thing going
on. They denied it of course, but everyone knew. Hard to remain oblivious when
they smell like each other all the time.
Isaac lived nearly full time at the Pack house. He never really wanted to
return to his dad's place, so that was a problem easily fixed. But he came over
here quite frequently. He would bring a book and they would read in silence. Or
they would cook together and laugh and be generally obnoxious. Or she would
take pictures of him and play music and dance around the house. He would always
complain about the general mess, but it wasn't that bad and he was really just
teasing.
There was a knock on the door and Erica looked up from her book, knowing who it
was. Isaac had told her he wanted to come over today, so she had been expecting
him. She walked over to the door and let him in, smiling as soon as her eyes
met his. She stepped aside and let him in, and he brushed by her as he strolled
inside.
"What smells so great?" He asked. "I could smell this from three blocks away.
It's great." He followed his nose to the kitchen. Erica had been cooking for
about three hours now. Two great big pots were sitting on the stove; two bowls
were on the counter beside it.
"Impeccable timing, as usual." She smiled.
"It's a gift." He held his hands out and shrugged.
"Get a drainer out, would you?"
"Yes, ma'am." He grabbed a metal drainer and stuck it in the sink. "This is for
the pasta, I take it?" He peered through the glass lid of the smaller pot
before taking it off the burner.
"Mhm." She responded, lifting the lid to the other and dodging the steam that
billowed out of it. She picked up the wooden spoon and stirred the contents,
drumming up another cloud of wonderful smelling air.
"That's too good to be allowed, with these senses." Isaac teased. He snaked his
hands around her waist and looked over her shoulder. "Damn, Erica. Are you
cooking for an army? There are only two of us, you know."
"Yeah… I doubled the recipe thinking I would bring some over to the Pack. I
mean, pizza's good, but I think the boys are starting to put on a little
weight. And not in muscle."
"I thought Stiles was supposed to be Pack mom." Isaac drawled, poking at her
side.
Erica wrinkled her nose before kissing him under his jaw. Stupid, wonderful
jaw-line. "I'm not Pack mom material, but I do think I should give Stiles some
of my recipes. Once he gets started, you guys will be eating home cooked meals
a lot more often."
"Count me in." Isaac approved.
Erica dished out a bunch of noodles and ladled the stew on top. She made her
way to the small kitchen table and made some room for them to eat.
"Have you thought about, maybe moving some of your mom's stuff out of the way?"
He ventured cautiously. "From what you've told me, she only uses the couch and
the medicine cabinet when she's home."
"What do you mean? Where would I put it?" She questioned.
"I don't know. A room you never use, I guess. Maybe her room."
Erica nodded. "Actually, that's a good idea… I'll work on it a little tomorrow
or this weekend."
"I'll help." Isaac offered.
Erica released a radiant smile. "Thanks. Now eat, I want to know if this is
good."
Isaac grinned at his spoon as he lifted a bite to his mouth. A moment later he
stopped everything. He even kind of stopped breathing. For a second, she was
worried she'd poisoned him.
"I don't think you can take this to the Pack house."
"Oh." Erica was crestfallen. She had worked really hard on it.
"Because I'm going to eat it all." He smiled as he went back to his food and
Erica clapped inwardly like a little girl. She resisted giggling but ate her
meal in an intensely happy mood. Thank you, Laura Vitale.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Erica launched herself onto the couch and cuddled into Isaac's arms. He was
holing a book and she made grabby hands at it until he showed her the
cover. Best Remembered Poems.
This is why Erica let him see the sweaters and the messy hair and the cooking.
Because she knew his secret. (Okay, it wasn't the only reason.) She knew his
passion for books and words in generally, but she also knew about the endless
streams of poetry books, his favorite poems, and had even read a few of his
pieces.
She wiggled down into him and breathed into his chest. "What's on the menu
tonight?" She huffed into his chest.
"Hmm." He breathed. "I was thinking Francis William Bourdillon's, The Night Has
A Thousand Eyes."
He opened the book, turned to the right page, and started to read.
"The night has a thousand eyes,/ and the day but one;/ Yet the light of the
bright world dies/ With the Dying sun."
Erica closed her eyes and let his voice wash over her. She loved when he read
to her, loved hearing his voice go through the dip and sway of a narrative. He
had great inflection, unlike the monotonous tone one might hear from a high
school teacher.
"The mind has a thousand eyes,/ And the heart but one;/ Yet the light of a
whole life dies/ When love is done."
Erica was still and quiet for a moment, thinking about what he said. "What do
you think the guy, Francis? Yeah, what do you think Francis meant by the mind
has a thousand eyes? I mean, our brains don't actually have eyes all over them,
so what do you think he was referring to?"
"The most assumed idea is that the mind has many eyes because it does so many
things. The heart has one eye because it only does one thing— which is love—
but the mind does so many things."
"I'd like to think it has something to do with all the things we see. Our
brains are where we process images and ideas and noises, it's the epicenter of
our entire beings. I'd like to think he meant that the brain is the location of
knowledge and the most powerful tools. He kind of compared them to stars, which
are pretty important, if you think about it."
"But he didn't really make the brain or the stars out to be so special. He said
that the light goes out without the sun or love."
"I mean, technically we would all die without the sun. But in a figurative way,
the sun makes the night better. One of the thousand eyes of the sky is the
moon, which isn't bioluminescent. It needs the sun to shine at all. Same thing
with the mind. I don't think the heart's eye is love, I think it's passion.
Without passion, curiosity, or love, we wouldn't be as motivated to do things
with the eyes of our minds. What would be the point?"
Isaac was quiet for a moment, their heartbeats filling the silence. "You should
be a poet." He murmured.
"Yeah, whatever." Erica scoffed, throwing a pillow at him. "Read me my
favorite."
Isaac smiled and turned a few pages. "I don't know why you like it so much. It
hardly makes any sense."
Erica stuck her tongue out at him and went back to her place nestled into him.
"'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/ Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;/ All
mimsy were the borogoves,/ And the mome raths outgrabe./
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son/ The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!/
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun/ The frumious Bandersnatch!"/
He took his vorpal sword in hand;/ Long time the manxome foe he sought—/ So
rested he by the Tumtum tree,/ And stood awhile in thought./
And, as in uffish thought he stood,/ The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,/ Came
whiffling through the tulgey wood,/ And burbled as it came!/
One, two! One, two! And through and through/ The vorpal blade went snicker-
snack!/ He left it dead, and with its head/ He went galumphing back./
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?/ Come to my arms, my beamish boy!/ O
frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"/ He chortled in his joy./
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/ Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;/ All
mimsy were the borogoves,/ And the mome raths outgrabe."
"Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas—only I don't exactly know what
they are!" Erica quoted at him. "However, somebody killed something: that's
clear."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
With Erica back in a leather jacket, boots and tight jeans, the two head back
to the Pack house. They ran there, making sure to lose the scent of the fire
they'd been hanging around that evening. It had been years, but the smell of
smoke still set Derek on edge. They checked each other before they headed
inside, and walked in; confident the smell of the stew would overpower anything
else.
"Hey, mom." The two chorused as they saw Stiles chatting to Boyd.
"Hey guys, where have you been? Did you want dinner? What about your laundry,
do you need me to do that for you?" Stiles droned sarcastically.
"No, laundry's done. We've been at my house. No dinner either, I cooked." Erica
quipped.
Boyd paused with half a poptart in his mouth. "Wait, you can cook?"
"Damn straight. That shit's like heaven in your mouth." Isaac answered.
Scott and Allison drifted into the room, "I heard someone mention food." Scott
interjected.
Erica held up the two gallon container of stew and shook it slightly. "Don't
drool on the floor, Scott."
"Is it up for grabs?" He asked eagerly.
"You can have some, if you want. But you're sharing with everyone else."
Scott pouted a little, but grabbed a bowl anyway. Pretty soon there was a
lineup for the food. Quite a few compliments were passed around, but the most
common sound was chewing and appreciative noises. Erica didn't mind, she didn't
like getting tidal waves of compliments anyway.
It was easy to tell when Derek walked into the room. First of all, his scent
was potent (Alpha), second of all… well… the tension in the room went up. The
boys looked up from their bowls to see the almost blatant eye sex between Derek
and Stiles.
"Get some food or get a room, Jesus." Boyd complained after a very long stretch
of uncomfortable silence.
The Betas all laughed as Stiles rolled his eyes and Derek huffed and sat down
at the counter, pulling the stew over to himself. Stiles tossed him a bowl and
he dipped some out. A conversation soon struck up and Erica caught Derek
smiling. It was nice to see that brilliant smile in place of his usual gloomy
look.
She reached for Isaac's hand and their fingers entwined. She exhaled happily,
looking at the container. It was already almost empty. She didn't think it
would have survived the night.
"Erica, you have got to cook more often." Scott begged.
***** Sing To Me *****
Erica didn't have seizures often anymore. It was only in moments of extreme
exertion or anxiety. Or both. Isaac, however, still had panic attacks
regularly. Usually at night.
Whenever they happened, Erica was right by his side. It didn't matter if she
was at her house and he was in the Pack house, somehow she could tell. She
would slip into the window that was usually open and always unlocked and sit on
his bed. She would cradle him and croon to him until he could relax. Then she
would stay the night, hands soothing tense muscles and straying to his curls.
She would slip out in the morning before Derek or one of the others showed up.
She must have known it would embarrass Isaac if they found out. For some
reason, they never really noticed the way her scent would cling to him as he
descended the stairs for breakfast. Perhaps they had attributed it to the
amount of time they spent together during the day. Perhaps they were just
unobservant.
For a house full of werewolves with heightened senses, many of them were plain
oblivious. Scott was never completely adept at honing his skills onto anyone
other than Allison. Jackson was rarely ever there. Derek usually had his mind
on other things, often leaving in the middle of the night to go running or
making rounds. (He was always there when he was needed. Derek was many things,
but unreliable was not one of them.)
Boyd may have noticed, but even if he did, he wouldn't have said anything. Boyd
was a quiet and unassuming guy who had been especially courteous after running
away. He had realized his mistake early on and when he returned he had
completely given in to Derek as Alpha. He now understood that Derek would
protect them.
And that Derek did. They had regular trainings where they learned tracking,
self defense, and form control. He taught them how to find their specialties,
their abilities, and their weaknesses. Unlike the first few trainings, these
latest ones had become more laid back and understanding. Not easy, of course,
but a lot less throwing to the ground went on.
Although Derek did not seem like the Kumbayah type of guy, they had had quite a
few sessions where they would find their centers and focus on what allowed them
to take and keep control. The first one of these sessions he had brought them
all outside and told them to pick a tree. Confused, the Pack had stood there
looking at him dumbly.
"You're going to sit by it. You need to pick the one that entices you
personally." Derek explained.
"You want us to pick a tree? Is this tai-chi yoga crap?" Jackson had asked,
scathingly.
Derek let out a sharp breath through his nose. "I don't need your smart-ass
remarks, Jackson. Pick a goddamn tree."
Isaac looked around at the trees available. There was an entire arbor behind
the Hale house. Maples, oaks, beech, and many more were clustered around each
other. Derek took a place at a yew tree, pressing his back up against the trunk
and relaxing. Isaac walked tentatively over to a cherry blossom tree that had
been calling to him. He found a little dip in the earth which would allow him
to sit comfortably and used the tree as a back.
Boyd settled into an apple tree, Jackson a flowering pear, and Erica a dogwood.
Scott floundered for a moment before he spotted a maple. Now that there was
stillness, Isaac could feel a buzzing hum noise. But it wasn't like he could
hear it with his ears. It was almost like he could see and taste it.
"What you're feeling is normal, so don't freak out." Derek's voice was calm. "I
want you to follow my instructions. If you think it's bullshit, then you can
leave. But do it quietly, so no one else is bothered." His comment was bluntly
directed at Jackson, who rolled his eyes but stayed put.
"Okay. When I was young, my fam—part of my training was to find my center.
These trees help you focus your energy. Trees run on different frequencies,
just like people do, so everybody has their own preference. Sometimes it's just
a personal connection, sometimes it's memory-linked. Who chose a tree because
it reminds you of something or someone?"
Boyd nodded. "We had one in our backyard."
Jackson muttered something about Lydia. Isaac remembered the way she always
smelled like pears and cinnamon.
"So you three chose it because of the tree itself?" Erica, Isaac, and Scott
nodded. "Alright. I'd like you to close your eyes and settle back into the
trunk of the tree. Calm your breathing and lower your heart rate. It might be
difficult at first, but with time, you'll be able to do this instantly."
For a few minutes, there was no sound but for breathing, heart beats, and the
sound of nature. Isaac listened to Derek's pulse intently. It had already
lowered significantly. He focused inwardly, trying to do the same. After a
while, his focus shifted to Erica's heartbeat. Oddly enough, they were in tune.
As Isaac noticed this, he relaxed and his heart rate lowered. Erica's was soon
following.
Derek's voice broke the quiet. "Good. This calmness is what will allow you to
keep from shifting. Especially during the full moon. However, the calm is only
half of it. Isaac, Erica, and Scott have already found their anchors. They're
people or their memories of a person. That's fine. Your anchor can also be an
object or a memory. Focus on something that makes you calm. There may be many
things, and it may take you a while to decide, but eventually one will stand
out as your anchor.
"This anchor will be the final tie holding you down during a shift. It will
also allow you to take greater control of the transformation, making it quicker
and less painful."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Isaac already knew his anchor, and although many of the pack couldn't
understand it, it worked. The connection to the way his dad used to be was a
way for Isaac to feel loyal without feeling guilty. Ever since he had joined
the pack, he had lost all ties with his father. He barely had any time to mourn
before he was yanked into a whole different way of life. He hadn't really had
any time to feel bad about it either.
That night in the sub car, as he was shifting, he was brought back to a memory
of his father. It was when he was quite young. They had been in the park and
his father was pushing him on the swing. That image had filled him with a
strong sense of calm, made him feel human again. Then he had felt the wolf go
to sleep in his body, tucked under his heart, beneath his ribs. The sensation
had been extraordinarily strange, but had given him control over himself.
It was times like this, when the moon was high in the sky, shining in little
slats through his blinds, he liked to peruse memories of his father. He found
it was much easier to sleep when his wolf was doing the same—which made a lot
of sense, logically.
With much practice, he had been able to call a succession of good memories with
his dad to the forefront of his brain.
He was four and on the playground. His dad was making him laugh. When the young
boy swung forward towards him, he would pretend to get hit by Isaac's small
feet.
He was seven and they were having a party. His dad brought out a large cake
with his name and seven candles.
He was ten and his dad gave him a high five and took him out for ice-cream when
he got good grades.
He was twelve and his dad was scolding him for not making his bed.
He was thirteen and his dad began drinking.
Isaac knew where this was headed. He tried to choke off the regurgitated
memories, but he couldn't stem the flow.
He was fourteen and he started wearing long sleeves all the time to hide the
bruises.
He was fifteen and his father cleared out the freezer. He was pushed inside. A
metallic snap told him that there was a lock. He panicked and lashed out,
jamming several fingers as he smacked the walls of the freezer repeatedly.
After several minutes and fractures later, he stopped all movement, crying
softly to himself. It would be hours later before he would be allowed out.
Isaac's breathing quickened and his eyes blinked rapidly. He tried to rid his
mind of these ideas, but they invaded and took over. Tears began to form in his
eyes as his breath came quicker and his lungs constricted. The sound of blinds
and footsteps filled his ears and the smell of Erica filled his nose. Her warm
arms enveloped him and he felt his muscles tense and then relax.
As his vitals returned to normal, Isaac could hear her singing to him. Her
voice dipped and flowed over the notes. Her words were sweet honey and warm tea
as they washed over him. He sat up and cupped her chin, laying a soft kiss on
her lips. Through the darkness, he could make out the silhouette of her large
sweater. He smiled and she lay down beside him, turning to fit her back to his
chest. He wrapped an arm around her and breathed in her scent before dropping
off to sleep.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Erica had recently saved up enough money to buy a car. An old one, granted, but
a car anyway. She drove the old junker to Derek immediately, and he showed her
how to fix it up. Boyd helped out, and it became a bit of a group project. A
week after buying it, they stood back and looked at it with pride. Erica
decided to take it out on a drive.
"Isaac! Come with me." She prodded at Isaac.
He set down the book he had been reading and looked up at her eager expression.
He eyed the oil stains on her hands and smiled. "Car's finally finished, then?"
He asked. She nodded excitedly, grabbed his hand and hauled him to his feet.
They went out to find her blue civic shiny and waiting for them in the clearing
in front of the house. It had been washed and polished so well it looked
practically new. Erica jingled the keys happily as she walked to the driver's
seat.
"Sorry I couldn't help out. I'm useless with cars." Isaac said as he followed
and dropped into the passenger seat. "You know how to drive stick?"
"Derek taught me." Erica explained.
Isaac smiled. Derek really was like the dad Erica never got to spend time with.
Except younger. And a werewolf.
They pulled out of the clearing and down the path through the woods. They
peeled out onto the main roads and Erica headed for the highway. She looked
good in this car. She looked like she fit. She pulled a pair of sunglasses out
her leather jacket and put them on.
"So where are we going?" Isaac asked, putting on his own pair.
"No idea!" Erica handed him her ipod. "Here, plug this in."
Isaac did as he was told and pressed play.
If you could only see the beast you've made of me,
I held it in the night, it seems you've set it running free.
Erica laughed. "I love this song. It's a bit fitting, don't you think?"
Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart.
Drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart.
My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in.
You are the moon that breaks the night for which I have to howl.
My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in.
You are the moon that breaks the night for which I have to
Howl, hooowl.
Erica's red lips shaped the words in a pretend howl. Her laugh burbled along as
she sang, matching the singer's voice. Isaac had to admit, it was a bit funny.
He laughed with her as they drove down the road. He rolled down his window and
turned up the music. The wind whipped Erica's hair around her and she smiled
unabashedly.
Nodding to the beat, Isaac watched the other cars and trees as they passed by.
He was filled with a strong sense of freedom as he felt the warm sun on his
skin and they drove a little too fast. He found himself tapping along with the
beat.
When the song was over, he looked over at Erica who reached over for his hand.
Their fingers intertwined as the next song came on. This one Isaac recognized.
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on! La, la, la, la, life goes one!
***** Make Love To Me *****
It was summer and the warmth of the sun being closer to the earth—or whatever
it was that made summer hot—was diminished by the cool night breeze. The
evening was dark enough that Erica's eyes flashed gold and the wolf burned
under her heart in desire for the freedom of running with a pack. She ran in
near silence. Her body didn't give away her precision. Her feet knew how to
softly pad through the brush and the branches. Her darting eyes picked up every
leaf and twitching animal. The teeming life of the woods was so much more
tangible when you had the ability to hear and feel the breath of even the
smallest animal.
Erica was scenting her way through the forest. Without even having to shift,
her sense of smell was strong enough for her to find what she was looking for.
Not very many things smelled like a mixture of cool mint, dusty volumes and hot
tea. Even without the strange smell, nothing else pulled Erica in such an
alluring fashion. Nothing but Isaac could do that to her.
They were playing, bonding in a way that wolves often did. It was something
Derek had introduced them to. Something that his family used to do and that
they did now. He had taken off and hid in the trees, moving and doubling back
as to confuse her and challenge her. She had given him ten minutes to really
lose himself and had followed him. She used his scent as a secondary guide to
find him. She mainly relied on the way her body felt. When she was apart from
him, she yearned to be near him again.
She paid attention to the fluttering of her heart. The stuttering was not from
exertion, but from proximity. She knew she had to be close to him. Even her
wolf reared its head and began tasting the air. She slowed, focusing her energy
on her nose and her hearing. Her pull to him was even stronger, guiding her in
the right direction before she could hear the ebb and flow of blood in his
veins. Before she could hear the rustle of his skin in his clothing. Before she
could smell his concentrated scent.
She could hear him moving stealthily in her direction. Her wolf howled
inwardly, nearly causing her to whimper. Either he didn't sense her, or he
wanted to be found. They had been at this for over an hour. All of the other
pack members had been out here earlier, but had all left to sleep or do other
things. Maybe Isaac was bored and wanted to go home. No matter what the reason,
Erica was going to catch him.
She rounded a pair of cottonwoods and found herself behind him. He was moving
slowly enough that Erica could sneak up behind him. But he would still be able
to hear her if she made one wrong move. She could run after him quickly, making
more noise but with the advantage of a head start. But if he heard her he could
make a run for it.
She settled for a happy middle. She quietly caught up with him, going slightly
faster than he was in order to get close. When she was about three feet from
him, she leaped and tackled him to the ground. He yelped quietly as they
plummeted to the ground. He turned before they hit the dirt, so he landed on
his back and she landed with her legs on either side of him, knees bent
slightly and hands on his chest.
He smiled at her openly, eyes flashing amber in the darkness. "You win."
"What do I get?" She asked him silkily.
"What do you want?" His voice was hushed and forbidden.
Erica leaned down and kissed him. She sank to her knees in the dirt and grabbed
a fistful of his shirt greedily. He met her halfway in a kiss that was fueled
by adrenaline, separation, and the exhilaration of being outdoors surrounded by
each other.
Isaac's lips were quick and clever as they zinged across her lips and burned
through her chest. She licked along the seam of his lips and his tongue met
hers halfway. As was normal, her wolf curled up and fell asleep beneath her
heart, even as the kiss grew more ardent.
Erica curled her fingers around his arms and leaned down to get closer to him.
Her hair fell in a curtain around their fused mouths, shielding their faces
from anyone but themselves. Isaac's hands buried themselves in her hair,
cupping the back of her neck and pulling her forward. She was all too happy to
comply. She just wanted to be close, as dumb as it sounded. Ever since she
found her happiness with Isaac she found herself falling victim to all these
clichés she had spurned others for.
But she couldn't quite bring herself to care as his lips and teeth left her
wanting mouth and moved down her jaw line to her neck. Her hands found his
curls and held his bruising kisses as close to her skin as she could. Sadly,
the bruises and hickeys and bite marks would not last long, but she could have
them before they healed. And they felt so good when he did it. She keened
softly, unconsciously moving her hips against his in a rhythm he matched. He
groaned under her, lifting his hips to find purchase against her body.
"Isaac…" Erica panted. Her voice surprised her. It was a bit lower, huskier. It
dripped with want—with need.
"What do you need?" His voice had lowered as well. The deep timbre did
something unexplainable to her and she moaned openly, rubbing herself more
forcefully against him.
"Need you," She gasped. "Come on, let's go."
She stood and pulled him along with her in a daze, always with some sort of
skin contact. Neither of them could have explained how they got back to Pack
house in one piece. They weren't paying attention to where they were going or
any trees in the way, they simply made their way blindly; kissing, touching and
caressing the whole way. At one point Erica pressed Isaac up against a tree and
their kissing became a face battle. She nibbled along his lip and sucked on his
tongue; he maneuvered her hips against his with his hands, holding hard enough
that she could feel the tips of his extended nails.
They practically wrestled each other across the clearing and into the house, up
the stairs, and into Isaac's room. For some reason, no one else was home. It
was a good thing, Erica thought, because this is not something she wanted to
share with the rest of the Pack. She tugged off his shirt and they fell onto
his bed.
For the first time since she tackled him in the forest, she broke away from
him. She was straddling his lap, her lips inches away from his face, his body
propped up by his arms. She ran her hands along his body reverently, fingers
exploring the flushed skin pulled taut over strong muscle. "I love you." She
whispered.
Isaac's eyes burned like gold at her words. "I love you, Erica."
He dropped soft kisses on her mouth, down her neck, and to her chest. She
shrugged out of her leather jacket and pulled at the hem of her shirt, trying
to give his questing mouth the skin it deserved. He helped banish the clothing
from her skin until her breasts were free and he could cup them in his hands.
She hissed as his skin made contact with hers, whimpered when he took a nipple
in his mouth. His long fingers were keen and adept, eliciting the right sounds,
being just rough enough that Erica found it difficult to breathe. She fisted
his tawny hair in her hands and held on for dear life, rutting against him
desperately. She could feel his hard cock against her thighs, felt the way he
grunted into her flesh when she moved.
She pulled herself away from him and moved down his body, her knees on the
floor, eye level with his crotch. She pulled his pants and boxers out of her
way, lowering her head to his cock, breathing in his heady scent. Although she
was uncertain, she didn't let it show much. She knew the basic principle behind
giving head, even if she'd never attempted it.
She licked a long stripe up his stomach, feeling his hands curl in her hair.
She mouthed her way back down and kissed along his length. Her mouth fluttered
and her tongue swirled. Her hand sank down to his balls and fondled them slowly
as she took him into her mouth and sucked gently. He groaned and his hands
tightened and she could feel the scrape of his claws. She took her
encouragement in the form of moving her head faster and using her other hand to
stroke him along with her mouth. Using her tongue as a buffer for her teeth,
she licked the underside of his cock enthusiastically. As his panting grew
louder, she left his balls to run her hand along the sensitive area of his
lower stomach.
His hips began to lift off the bed, and Erica moved even faster. Her hands
stroked and caressed as her mouth went down as far as she could on his length.
She moaned slightly and Isaac broke apart. He groaned and his hips thrust
upward and his cock twitched. Erica swallowed repeatedly before standing up and
kissing him full on the mouth.
He turned her over and pressed her down into the mattress. He carefully cut
away her clothing with his teeth and claws and settled himself on his knees
between her legs. He was wearing a cheeky expression and dragged his now blunt
nails down her stomach. He settled down and reached under her legs to hold her
hips, the crooks of her knees hooked over his shoulders.
He took in a deep breath, unable to hide the way her arousal made him shudder.
Erica looked down at him and whimpered ever so slightly. He looked at her and
the way her chest heaved and put himself to good use. He ran his tongue around
her clit, suctioning and nibbling ever so slightly. He struggled to reign in
his wolf, who was trying to make an appearance in his fangs and claws. He
easily slid his fingers into her and set a rhythm that made her pant and growl.
He was doing things with his tongue that Erica couldn't even believe. She
couldn't follow his movements, werewolf sense or no, so she simply let her head
fall back at the onslaught of pleasure. At one point, when the pressure was
really intense, she lifted off the pillow, grabbing Isaac's face in her clawed
fingers and stifled a howl, biting into her lip fiercely with her fangs. She
tasted blood, but the wound was healed before she hit the pillow again.
As she shuddered and convulsed slightly, coming down from some peak that was
way over her head, she contemplated the good kind of seizing.
She didn't let him rest though. She pulled him up to her eagerly and grabbed
him by the hips. He did not wince as her nails nicked him repeatedly, only
growled and held on just as tightly. There were no words needed, she called and
he answered with movements and breathing and the flashing of their eyes. And
she nodded and he pressed into her.
There was a moment of stillness before Erica let out a broken moan that rocked
all the way down her body. She quivered as she pulled her legs around his hips
and grabbed his neck in her arms. She kissed him with lips and teeth and so
much passion she felt she might break. And he was moving.
God, that movement brought the sweetest sensations to her.
She felt like she couldn't contain anything, couldn't support herself, and here
he was, helping share the moment. And they keened and growled and bit at each
other, licking and crooning in the heat.
They were enveloped in each other so completely, that nothing could have
distracted them. And there was a moment where they simply put their foreheads
together and breathed each other's hot ragged breaths and moved so endlessly.
They finally fell apart, so close in timing that only wolf senses would have
been able to tell. And their bodies became a million pieces that blew away with
the wind and across the world before recollecting on the bed and reforming
their spent bodies.
Judging by the light, it was early morning. Erica awoke to find herself in an
over-sized sweater and nothing else. The perfect body of Isaac Lahey lay next
to her in all of his lanky glory. She rolled herself over, pulling her sweater
up over her thighs as she straddled him. She released the fabric and leaned
down to Isaac's mouth and kissed him, rubbing herself against him purposefully.
He awoke with a groan and Erica could feel him hardening underneath her. Her
eyes trailed over his body and noticed all the red marks that her lipstick had
left during last night's activities. She blushed slightly, as she remembered
their hot, sweaty, messy activities.
Isaac grabbed her waist, putting pressure on her teasing hips as she gyrated.
She lifted her body and lowered herself onto him, letting out a near squeak at
the feeling. She began her movements, subtle and rocking, deliberately drawn
out.
This time they made love, in the wee hours of the morning. It was slow and wet
and loving, but nearly silent. They moved against each other as if they had all
the time in the world, and it felt like they did. When Erica climaxed or the
third time that night, she fell onto Isaac's chest and rubbed her lips across
his damp skin. She couldn't speak, couldn't put into words what she was
thinking, but she knew he understood.
They fell asleep once again with him still inside her, their legs and arms
twined.
In the morning, as they were getting dressed, Isaac spotted a bite on Erica's
shoulder that hadn't completely healed. Seeing it as odd, he pointed it out to
her, and she touched it thoughtfully, not really thinking much of it. However,
when it didn't make any signs of healing in the next few minutes, she panicked
a little.
She full on freaked out when she noticed that he had a similar one on the
inside of his arm. He felt at it, and felt little pain, but they both feared
the possibility of being spiked with wolfsbane. They ran to Derek, not even
bothering to knock on his door. They clamored at him, gesturing to the angry
red marks that they had noticed.
At first, Derek was simply alarmed that they had run into his bedroom while he
was half dressed. Thankfully everything that needed to be covered was, but he
was disgruntled anyway. As he pulled on a shirt, he listened to their rushed
story with a half smirk on his face.
In a moment of silence when he made no move to explain to them, Erica nearly
shrieked at him. "Well what's going on, oh-mighty Alpha? Stop smiling like that
and explain!"
Derek raised an eyebrow. "You guys had fun last night, yeah?"
That stopped them dead in their tracks.
"How did you…" Isaac started.
"Well, if the noises at three in the morning weren't a clue," The two looked
sheepish. "The smell coming off you two and the not completely healed bites
would be telling."
Erica and Isaac looked at each other with confused puppy faces.
Derek sighed. "When two wolves mate, yes you heard me correctly, their scent
becomes more like each other's. You smell nearly identical; probably helped by
the fact that you were rolling all over each other for a good long while.
"They're mate bites. You get them when you find your life-mate. You can fuck
anyone you want, as people do, but these bites are given when you meet the one
you're best fitted to, biologically, romantically, all that. You probably
barely noticed bestowing them. They won't ever heal. But congrats, you're
practically married."
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