Love's Spiral

Spencer hated that Derek was being this controlling with her. It wasn’t fair at all for him to be treating her the way he was. Spencer felt as if she was doing a lot for Derek and she was getting nothing in return other than a cranky alpha and a couple of friends who didn’t trust her anymore. Deep down, Spencer knew that she did the right thing when she asked Derek for the bite. Derek needed her. Now, it only seemed like he needed an extra pair of eyes and ears on Scott.

It angered her. Spencer didn’t sign up to be a spy against her best friends. It was getting hard for her to stay best friends with Scott and Stiles and be in Derek’s pack. Spencer didn’t want to choose and she didn’t want to be stuck in the middle of it. It seemed that none of the boys were giving her any sort of choice though.

School was difficult for her to get through. The next day in Chemistry, Spencer looked to the empty seat next to her and sighed. She asked herself if it would be as terrible if Isaac were around. If only Isaac could be around. At least she’d have someone to talk to. Someone who, no matter what, would be her friend and look out for her. Spencer knew she and Isaac had a good friendship. One that could be tested and still come out strong. Which she supposed this was. Isaac had to believe that Spencer and Derek were going to make everything okay for him. They would. Somehow.

Thankfully, Harris didn’t show up that day and there was a substitute. It was a quiet day with a movie playing in the background as Spencer played games and texted Isaac on her phone. She kept glancing back at Stiles and Scott and listening into their conversations. Neither of them were looking her way. They weren’t even talking about her. They were hardly talking to each other. Spencer took a deep breath and returned to her game. She’d just have to wait out this silent treatment her friends were giving her.

Lunch came quickly and Spencer entered the lunchroom. She wasn’t at all planning on actually getting lunch because she couldn’t eat. Everything was stressing her out too much to. Between finding new Betas and not talking to her best friend anymore, it was starting to get to her. Spencer looked around the lunchroom wondering where she was going to sit. She noticed Stiles sitting with someone who she’d never seen him talk to before. Spencer listened in.

“No, no, no.” Stiles said, nervously. “I think I’m recalling it now.” Stiles reached into his pocket, refling around for something. “Maybe I just got it confused with f-forty…?”

The guy looked down at his lunch, picked up a chip and ate it.

Spencer sighed, pulling out her own wallet. Maybe this was her chance to redeem herself with Stiles. She needed to.

Stiles sighed. “C’mon, man, have you seen the piece of crap Jeep that I drive?”

“Have you seen the piece of crap bus that I take?” the guy countered.

Spencer walked up to the table, standing at the head, between Stiles and the guy. She added an extra twenty to the table, slamming it down under her hand onto top of the other bills.

Stiles jumped at the sound. “Oh, my God.” He looked up quickly to the new person to the table.

“Sorry about him.” Spencer said, sweetly to the guy. “He’s such a pest. I’ve got to get him trained.” She joked. “Sixty should cover it?” she questioned.

The guy smiled and held out the keys.

Stiles took them. “Okay. Thank you.” he said, turning in his seat, trying to leave.

Spencer stopped him though, standing in front of his seat, blocking his path. “Are we ever going to talk?” She asked him.

“I, uh, I can’t. Not...not here.”

Spencer bit her lip, nodding, and moved out of his way. She watched as Stiles walked over to the table with Scott. Spencer sighed and looked to the guy. “Can I sit here?” she asked.

The guy looked confused. “I guess?”

Spencer smiled and took that seat that Stiles just left.

“Are you guys okay?” he asked. “I mean, you guys have been friends for as long as I can remember. And I’m almost certain you two dating like a week ago?”

“We were. At the beginning of the semester. Then we weren’t. Then we were again. And then he took Lydia to the formal, while we were still technically a thing. But we’d kinda had a disagreement, but whatever. Then my dad died, and my friend Isaac got arrested. It’s just been a wild couple of weeks.” Spencer looked to the guy after she’d finished her rant. She sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be dumping this on you.”

“It’s okay.” He said. “I asked. Shouldn’t have asked if I didn’t expect an answer.”

Spencer smiled at him. “You’re Vernon, right?”

He nodded. “I go by Boyd.”

Spencer held her hand out across the table for Boyd to shake. “I’m Spencer.”

Boyd slowly met his hand with hers, confused. “I know.”

“Well, now you know formally.” she said, with a smile. “And I know you, so that’s a plus.”

Boyd nodded, eating one of his chips.

Spencer sighed. “What was that all about? With Stiles? I didn’t just pay for his Adderall fix, did I?” she laughed.

Boyd shook his head. “I’m not a drug dealer. He asked me for the keys to the ice rink since I work there. He’s got some sort of double date.”

“With Lydia?”

Boyd raised an eyebrow at her.

“Right. I shouldn’t ask. I shouldn’t talk about. Or think about it.” she said quieter, to herself. She smiled weakly.

“So, this is gonna sound really rude, but why are you sitting here?” Boyd asked.

Spencer shrugged. “I didn’t want to sit alone today, and I notice you always sitting alone. I thought you could use a friend.”

Around them, the whole lunchroom seemed to pause. Spencer looked around to see where everyone’s eyes were. Erica had just entered the room. She looked drop dead gorgeous. Spencer was glad to have gotten to know the girl and spend some time with her the previous night. The girl came in, grabbed an apple from some random guy’s lunch tray, took a bite and turned to walk back out.

Spencer looked back to Scott and Stiles and noticed their confused stares as they watched her leave.

Once the girl was out of sight the two boys quickly followed after her, leaving the lunchroom.

Spencer turned back to the table in front of her and smiled proudly.

Boyd noticed her smile and questioned it. “You did that?” he asked, referring to Erica.

“Sorta. She helped herself to my Lydia-inspired closet and my makeup box. I helped her build her confidence.” Spencer bragged.

“Wish I had that kind of confidence.”

“You want to be able to wear short skirts and get all the guys to notice you?” Spencer joked, earning a laugh out of Boyd.

“No, I want to be able to feel like I belong somewhere.”

Spencer looked at him for a moment, thinking. “You and I should be friends.” she said, pulling her backpack around to get a piece of paper to write her number down for him.

“Just like that?” Boyd questioned.

“Just like that. I think I can find you some friends. Text me real quick so I have your number.”

As Boyd did as she asked, Stiles and Scott came back into the room and to her table.

Scott stood next to her. “Did you know about this?” he accused.

Spencer smiled, looking from Scott to Boyd. “If you’ll excuse me, Boyd. I have a couple of boys that need to learn some serious manners.” Spencer got up from her chair and walked out of the lunchroom towards her locker. The boys followed her. “Yes, I knew about Erica. I actually gave Derek the idea.”

“You did this to her?”

“Well, not physically. I’m not an alpha. I can’t turn people into werewolves. Derek did that part.” Spencer explained.

“But you led him straight to Erica?” Stiles questioned.

“She deserved it.” Spencer shrugged, stopping at her locker and entering the combination. “Epilepsy is not an easy thing to live with. Erica suffered from seizures at any point in time. She could have really hurt herself after that rockwall if we weren’t there to realize something was wrong. We cured her of anything like that happening again.”

“You could have killed her.” Scott stressed.

“But we didn’t.” Spencer stressed, quickly trading out a few of her books for others and shut her locker. “Derek needs a pack. I’m looking out for people who could benefit from it. Maybe if you joined the pack…” Spencer waited for Scott to catch on.

“I’m not joining Derek’s pack.”

“Then don’t complain when Derek turns other people.” She said, before walking away from her two friends.

!@#$#@!

After that confrontation with Scott and Stiles, Spencer didn’t even want to be at school anymore. She ran to her truck, avoiding the school’s security, and left the parking lot. Spending the rest of the day with Isaac was really all she wanted to do. Spencer stopped by for some greasy drive-thru and drove to the underground subway station. For the rest of the day, she and Isaac were sprucing up Isaac’s subway car to feel more like a place for him to stay rather than a broken down train.

Once it got dark, Derek arrived back at the station. “Red.” he called.

Spencer sighed and showed Isaac a half smile. “Alpha calls. You’ve been getting in a lot of training. I guess it’s my turn now.”

“Have fun. He’s been relentless today.”

“Red!” Derek called again, impatiently.

“I’m comin’! she shouted back at him. “Calm yourself.” she said, leaving Isaac’s cart and going into the main area of the station. “Jeez, what do you have some sort of hot date tonight? Are you so pressed for time you can’t wait two minutes?”

Derek picks his hands up, taking a defensive stance.

“Sparring, tonight, are we?” Spencer smirked. “My favorite.” Spencer took off her blouse, leaving her in a black tank top. Spencer took the similar stance to Derek, but one where she could get a few hits on him.

Derek never went easy on her. His defense was always strong and she never got a hit in.

After doing the same hits for almost twenty minutes, Spencer’s hands were completely bruised. She had to keep going though. She knew the bruises were healing, but it would take a while since Derek was an alpha.

Derek got tired of being on the defensive and threw a punch at Spencer’s face.

Spencer cried out, falling to the ground. “What the hell?” she questioned. “We need a punching bag. I can’t take this surprise pain from you anymore.”

“You can.” Derek assured. “And you would if you were in an actual fight. Until I know that you can defend yourself from something surprising you, you’ll be fighting an actual person.” Derek took the defense stance again. “Get up. Go again.”

Spencer groaned and stood up. She stood with her fists in front of her face. Spencer started throwing her punches again.

Derek encourages her. “Faster.” he coached. “Harder.”

Spencer smirked as she continued throwing her fists in his direction, him dodging them every time. “You know, normally, someone would hear those words in bed.”

“Focus.” Derek pressed.

“I am focused.” she said, throwing a punch, managing to hit him in his face.

Derek backed away, grabbing his jaw. He shook his head, shaking away the pain, and then turned back to Spencer, fists in the air. “Again.”

Spencer started again, but didn’t stop the conversation. “Since we’re here, you think we can talk about the other day?”

“No.” Derek grunted.

Spencer continued anyway. “You said you had feelings for me.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yeah, you did. When I told you about Stiles and my feelings for you. You questioned about your feelings for me.” Spencer gave Derek a look as she continued swinging her fists, and he didn’t answer, knowing she was right. “But then yesterday, ‘I’m your beta’, and ‘it’s dangerous’.”

“It is dangerous.”

“I think it’s an excuse.” Spencer pushed. “So that I don’t become Kate.”

“Kate was an evil, murderous bitch. You’re not.”

“Well, technically, since I killed my father, I’m a little murderous. And I can be a bitch.” She was breathing heavily, from talking and throwing punches, but she kept going. “So I’m like two-thirds of the way there.”

“You’d never be like her.” Derek assured.

“How do you know? Maybe maliciousness is a genetic trait that hasn’t kicked in yet.”

“Will you shut up?” Derek pushed, before walking into his subway car.

Spencer followed after him. “Not until you talk to me about it.”

“I don’t remember you being this pushy before I bit you.”

“Really? ‘Cause I’m the one who told you to get a cell phone. I made you go back for Scott that first full moon in the woods when he was pierced with an arrow. I practically forced you to be friends with me so you at least had someone. Even when we were little, and I had no idea who you were or what was going on with your life. That day of the fire.” Spencer explained.

Derek breathed, letting his anger go for a second. “You told me to stop crying and I did.”

“See? I’ve always been puchy.”

“Haven’t cried since.” Derek admitted.

“Seriously?” Spencer questioned.

Derek shrugged. “Yeah. Why?”

“Six years is a long time.”

“I’ve also not cared enough.”

“Not even when you found out Laura was dead.”

Derek shrugged again. “It was hard to. After losing my entire family, Laura was just one more. I know it sounds bad, but when I found her, all I thought about was getting revenge.”

“And you did.” Spencer pointed out, smiling, glad he was able to accomplish one of the things that he truly wanted to.

Derek nodded.

“So do you think you could cry now, if you had the chance?”

“I don’t think I need to. I fixed everything. Kate and Peter are dead. I don’t have to worry about them coming after you.”

“Again.” She added.

“Again.” Derek agreed.

“But now we need to find out what killed Isaac’s dad. So that we can clear him of the charges.”

“Yeah. I’m working on it.”

Spencer sighed. “I guess we’ll never figure us out.”

“Not until this thing is dead.” Derek insisted.

“And when it is, there will be something else. I’m almost certain something will always get in the way of the two of us figuring things out.”

Derek turned away from her, facing the train car’s wall. “I want you safe.” He admitted.

“I can be now.” Spencer told him.

Derek turned around, shaking his head.

Spencer showed him her golden eyes. “I can protect myself now.”

“You could still die.”

“Derek, I could go out right now, get into a car accident, and die. There is a greater chance that I could do something stupid and kill myself rather than get killed. I’ve been part of this world for months now, before I had super healing, and I am still alive.”

“It’s different for us.”

“As far as we know, this things isn’t coming after us. I think we’re okay.”

“No, we can’t think that way.”

“Derek, come on.” Spencer begged.

“If we start thinking that way, we let our guard down, and then something happens.”

“Dammit, Derek.” Spencer pushed herself forward and grabbed his head, forcing her lips on his.
Derek stood there, tense, not wanting this to happen. However, he couldn’t refuse his feelings. He started kissing her back roughly. Derek picked her up into his arms, wrapping her legs around his torso. He walked them to one of the walls and pushed her between him and the wall, shaking the car slightly.

Spencer could feel the emotions in the kiss, but she could also feel the force behind it. Their kiss was a necessity that the two of them have been putting off for far too long. Spencer let her instinct kick in and ran a hand through his hair, pulling at it. She pulled his head back, forcing him to start kissing her neck. Spencer let out a muffled groan when Derek bit just under her jaw line. She raked one hand through his hair, while the other’s nails were digging into his shoulder.

From behind Derek there was a throat cleared. Spencer looked forward seeing Isaac standing here. He looked completely nervous. Derek dropped Spencer, but she caught herself on her feet.

“What?” Derek demanded.

“I, uh, I’m sorry.” Isaac said quietly, fidgeting at the train car door. “I just - I could hear you, and it was getting a little…weird.”

Spencer smiled and laughed a little bit. “Sorry, Isaac. We weren’t thinking.”

“I-It’s okay.” he said, leaving the two alone.

Derek groaned and moved to sit down on his makeshift bed.

Spencer laughed again.

“Why do you think this is funny?” Derek asked.

“It just is.” Spencer said, moving to straddle his lap with her hands behind his neck. She pulled his head towards her, kissing him hard. “We’ve really got to get him out more.”

“Or…” Derek thought. “We could just go to your house.”

Spencer looked at him. “After all that fighting with me about this, you’re gonna invite yourself to my house?”

Derek shrugged.

“Not tonight. I have school tomorrow.” Spencer got off of Derek and stood in front of him. “Plus, tonight, I’ve got someone else in mind for you to add to the pack.”

“Who?”

Spencer smiled and pulled out her cell phone, finding Boyd’s number. She looked to Derek when he answered. “Hey, Boyd. Are you busy?”