It's a Werewolf Thing

Kacey was sitting alone in Scott's room doing her homework and listening to music on her laptop, when there was a knock at the window. Climbing off the bed, she moved towards the window hesitantly and let out a sigh of relief when she saw Derek, letting him in.

"We missed you at the pack meeting," Derek said, frowning and sniffing the air as Kacey returned to her place on the bed, "Why are you so scared?"

"I'm not scared," Kacey replied, feeling Derek's eyes on her as she continued, "I just didn't know who it was at the window... I'm sorry for missing the pack meeting, but I had a ton of homework to get done and I can't afford to not do it."

"If it was the alpha at the window, he wouldn't have knocked or waited for you to let him in," Derek told her, "I know you're scared Kacey and that's okay, but distancing yourself from the pack isn't going to help anyone."

"Thanks, I can now lay awake at night, worrying about the crazy alpha suddenly appearing through the window and ripping me apart," Kacey snapped, glaring at Derek who sighed in frustration.

"I'm not going to sugar coat it for you... I need you to be ready for whatever comes."

"Why, because I'm weak, or maybe you just don't trust me?"

"You know that I trust you and you also know that I've never once seen you as weak, where is all of this coming from?" Derek asked, frowning at Kacey and taking a few steps towards the bed.

"I know that you've spoken to Scott and he's probably already filled you in, so you can stop playing dumb."

"Listen to me Kacey," Derek growled, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to stand in front of him, "I don't know what the other alpha has said to you, but none of it is true and you're giving him exactly what he wants."

"And what's that?"

"Control," Derek stated, "He wants to get inside your head and as far away from the pack... from me as he can."

"Why though?"

"Taking you away from the pack makes it vulnerable... it makes me vulnerable and once he has that, he'll use it against us," Derek explained.

"Oh..." Kacey mumbled.

"I understand what you're feeling and I get that this is all hitting a little closer to home than anything else we've faced, but I won't let anything happen to you Kacey... not now, not ever."

Looking up as Derek released her from his grip, Kacey noticed the clear concern in his eyes and the way he stuck close without actually touching her.

"He... the alpha said that I'd make a great wolf and that he was having too much fun to leave me alone. Have you..." Kacey started, but Derek cut her off and answered without even thinking about it.

"No, I've never considered turning you and I never will. There's many reasons why, but I need you to stay human and this isn't a life that I want you to have," Derek responded, tensing a little and backing away.

"I don't understand, I'm no different to Isaac, Boyd or Erica."

"Please don't question my reasons, just trust me," Derek stated, climbing back out through the window.

"Derek," Kacey called, rushing over as he dropped to the ground and disappeared into the darkness.

Closing the window, Kacey sat back down and rested her head back against the wall. She had never seen Derek run away like that, normally he would just get angry and make threats. It's not like she would ever ask him to bite her, she had seen what the power could do to people and that wasn't something she wanted to experience. Kacey was snapped out of her thoughts as Scott entered the room, jumping on the bed beside her and putting his arm around her.

"Do you ever miss the days before you got bit, back when we were oblivious to the existence of the supernatural?" Kacey inquired quietly, laying her head on his shoulder and absent-mindedly playing with his fingers.

"You mean back when were unpopular and pretty much invisible?" Scott replied.

"No, I mean back when we were normal teenagers with normal problems."

"I miss it sometimes, but I like the way my life is right now and I wouldn't change what I have for what I had. Me and Stiles are finally going places in lacrosse, I have Allison and a great group of friends."

"Well, that's great for you, but where does that leave me?" Kacey added, "I'm not on any school teams, I'm not in a relationship and the friends I do have are all moving onto better things."

"None of that changes the fact that you are our friend, my best friend more to the point," Scott argued, "I would have never gotten through this year without you and Stiles."

"I just feel like everyone looks at me differently, because I'm not a wolf," Kacey mumbled, "Everyone has stuff in common, but then there's me on the outside and it hurts."

"What are you planning because you never talk like this?"

"I'm not planning anything, just seems like the right time is all," Kacey told him, feeling her phone vibrate and looking to see a new message from Derek.

'Come to the house, we need to talk'

Kacey frowned, showing the text to Scott who nodded and watched as Kacey grabbed her jacket before leaving. The house seemed a lot darker as Kacey approached it and for some reason it made her nervous, but she didn't know why. Pulling up outside, she cut off the engine and made her way to the front door.

Entering the house without knocking, Kacey called Derek's name and cautiously made her way upstairs when there was no reply. Reaching the landing, something caught her attention out the corner of her eye and she made her way towards Derek's room.

Her blood ran cold as she spotted Derek lying on the ground, bloody and lifeless. A million thoughts ran through her racing mind as she rushed to his side, falling to her knees and reaching out to check his pulse. The moment her fingers connected with his skin, Derek grabbed her by the throat and slammed her onto her back on the ground.

"Derek..." Kacey choked, trying to pull his hand away with no effect, "Derek... it's me."

Derek growled, his eyes flashing red and his grip tightening.

"Derek," Scott shouted, charging him and knocking him off Kacey who stayed on the ground gasping for breath, "Kacey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kacey said as Scott pulled her to her feet, checking her over and turning her attention back to Derek.

"I'm so sorry Kacey, I don't know what's going on with me," Derek explained, turning away from them and putting his head in his hands, "It's like my wolf is in control and no matter how much I fight against it, I can't pull it back."

After a few minutes of hesitation, Kacey moved towards Derek and turned to face Scott as he grabbed her arm to stop her. Giving him a reassuring nod, Scott reluctantly let her go and watched closely as she took a few more steps forward.

"Derek?" Kacey stated softly, causing him to spin around to face her and back off, "I'm fine, but we need to know everything so that we can help you."

"I told you, I don't know what's happening," Derek replied, lowering his gaze to the floor as if ashamed, "Ever since the other pack made an appearance, it's like my wolf is constantly fighting to get to the surface and I... I don't know if I can control it for much longer."

"It makes sense, this is your packs territory, so naturally your wolf feels threatened by the intrusion and wants to protect it."

"So, will Derek be like this until the other pack is dealt with?" Scott asked.

"That wolf won't be satisfied until Derek has taken back full control of the land, either by the other pack leaving or by the other pack being killed. There is a way to control it though," Kacey added, trying to remember something she had read, "If he can find an anchor, someone who forces the wolf to retreat in their presence... then he should have better control."

"An anchor?" Scott repeated sounding confused.

"Yeah, a lot of wolves have them... for example, yours would be Allison because she has the ability to pull forward your humanity when you're on the verge of losing it, or at least that's how I think it works."

"Do you have an anchor, Derek?" Scott inquired, looking at Derek expectantly and frowning.

"I have one, but it won't help..." Derek mumbled.

"Who is it?" Kacey added curiously.

"You... Kacey, you're my anchor. You remind me that I'm human and that it's not a bad thing, you keep my wolf from taking over completely," Derek said, avoiding Kacey's gaze and continuing, "That's how I managed to stay so calm the night Kate died and I killed Peter, because I knew that you were there with me."

"Why didn't you tell us what was going on?" Came Isaac's voice from behind them, making Kacey jump a little and turn to find the rest of the pack gathered around them.

"I didn't want to seem weak, I'm the alpha and I guess I'm just not used to having people around me that genuinely care."

"Was it the other pack's alpha that attacked you?" Kacey asked, motioning to the large gashes across Derek's chest and arms.

"They were warning me off."

"What do they want?" Stiles added.

"Me," Kacey replied, earning a nod from Derek and feeling a wave of fear wash over her.

"That's right sweet cheeks," a familiar voice said from behind them, causing everyone to spin round and growl when they spotted the other pack's alpha leaning against the door frame behind them.