Chapter 8: Bad Blood

All of this bad blood here
Won't you let it dry?
It's been cold for years
Won't you let it lie?

And I don't wanna hear about the bad blood anymore

Bad Blood – Bastille

Isabelle sighed heavily as she dropped her head back onto her black leather car seat. She pursed her lips as she gazed solemnly out of the window, surveying the vast forest of tall, imposing trees. There seemed to be a tightness constraining her chest and her head felt as if it weighed her down heavily as her mind reflected on her intense conversation with Derek Hale. Her nails involuntarily began tapping agitatedly on the steering wheel as she considered the exchange.

She could not understand nor explain the effect the brooding werewolf appeared to have on her. Their most recent altercation had deeply unnerved her and she could not solely ascribe that apprehension to the danger the alpha posed, Derek Hale was also a factor in her current state of mind.

She repeatedly told herself that she was acting irrationally, however, it troubled her greatly that the werewolf appeared to be able to see through her and detect her thoughts, emotions and secrets. She could still feel his emerald green eyes burning holes through her skin as he studied her pensively during their exchange and she felt as if he could detect her fear and anxiety provoked by the alpha.

He doesn't know. He wouldn't understand. She felt a wave of sadness wash over her as she was unwillingly reminded of the suffering she and her family had endured as a result of malevolent werewolves. Her hands gripped the wheel tightly, her fingers draining of colour and her hands becoming clammy, as the loss of her brother once again stabbed at her heart. Would the pain ever get easier to handle?

She supposed it was not fair to claim Derek would not understand her hurt, he had lost his sister in a strikingly similar manner. Maybe that is the reason why he can make me feel so unsettled? Because he understands.

Of course, Derek was not yet aware of her history, however she knew he was conscious that there must be a dark secret in her past. Indeed, the werewolf had made her feel completely exposed with a simple gaze. Perhaps they had more in common than either of them realised?

Derek grunted loudly as he released his grip on the bar he was using to perform push ups, wiping his damp forehead as he breathed deeply to relax his body. After Isabelle had left he had felt strangely troubled, as if an oppressive force was smothering him, and their previous conversation weighed heavily on his mind.

It should be simple. She's an Argent. She's a hunter. She can't be trusted. However, Derek could not tell himself these beliefs with as much conviction as he used to be able to do. There was something about Isabelle Argent that defied every expectation and pre-conception he had about her. He had seen glimpses of her unique characteristics before but their exchange had highlighted her loyalty, devotion and dedication to her friends, qualities he would have previously never attached to an Argent.

"There's a reason then? For why werewol- people…for why people are killers?" Her soft voice echoed inside his head as he recalled the words they had spoken to each other. He could see her bright hazel eyes full of sorrow as she had sought answers from him.

It was that sadness which Derek found himself intrigued by. Something we share…

The sound of leaves crunching under the feet of approaching people suddenly snapped out of his thoughts. Who would be approaching the ruins of his family home?

He almost physically recoiled as a familiar scent assaulted his senses and he felt a pit of dread settle in his stomach, creeping up his body and making him sharply tense in anticipation. Kate. Kate Argent was here.

"Oh thank God you're here" Stiles exclaimed loudly, jumping up to greet Isabelle as she entered his room.

"What's going on Stiles? I can't stay for too long, I'm meant to be meeting by uncle and aunt at the school later" Isabelle explained as she sat down on Stiles' bed.

Stiles grimaced as he surveyed Isabelle, his eyes swimming with frustration and panic. "What's going on? I'll tell you what's been going on" he cried whilst wildly gesturing with his hands. "There's a murderous alpha prowling around Beacon Hills, Lydia was attacked by it, she has a video of the attack and my best friend has disappeared off the face of the earth!"

Isabelle sighed as she examined Stiles' agitated state, folding her hands onto her lap as she leant forward to speak to him. "Calm down Stiles" she attempted to pacify him kindly. "Look we'll figure this all out. I promise you that we will, okay?"

Stiles laughed loudly. "How the hell are we going to do that Is?"

"I don't know yet, but we will" she told him firmly. "We just have to keep calm and sit tight at the moment."

"That still doesn't help me locate my missing friend" Stiles grumbled.

"Scott's fine, he's spending the day with Allison for her birthday" Isabelle rolled her eyes playfully. "It's a bit of an inconvenient time but we can give them a couple of hours at least."

Isabelle was well aware that it was not the ideal time for a romantic date in the woods however she wanted her cousin to enjoy her birthday and to protect her from the threats of the supernatural world. She deserves a normal life.

"He's such a-"

Stiles' retort was interrupted by a loud knock on the door as Mr Stilinski popped his head into the room.

"Stiles, please tell me I'm going to hear good news at this parent-teacher thing tonight" he asked unenthusiastically while observing his son with critical eyes.

Stiles twisted his hands distractedly. "Well… that really depends on what you define as good news!"

Mr Stilinski squinted as he let out an exasperated sigh. "I define it as you getting straight As with no behavioural issues?"

"Well you might what to rethink that definition" Stiles replied whilst giving his father a nervous smile.

"Enough said" Mr Stilinski responded gruffly. "It's nice to see you again Isabelle by the way" he addressed her with a smile before exiting the room.

Stiles gave Isabelle a small smile. "It'll all work out in the end right?" he asked shrugging his shoulders. "Even this parent-teacher conference?"

"I don't know about that" Isabelle mumbled. She did not expect anything truly catastrophic to occur at the conference but it had made some of her bitterness at her own parents to resurface. Yet another event they're absent for.

"Well the bigger question is what are we going to do with this video of the alpha?" Stiles fortunately interrupted her thoughts as he waved his phone at her.

Isabelle felt a small stab of fear penetrate through her as she observed the alpha on the screen. They had bigger problems to deal with. She was once again reminded of her conversation with Derek. He actually seemed to be a more reliable ally in this fight than her own family at the moment. What a strange thought…

Derek glowered up at the menacing hunter as he retreated into the corner of the scorched room, heaving himself backwards using all the strength he had left in his arms. Her wicked laugh permeated the air as she watched him intently, her eyes hungry with malice.

"Wow…this one grew up in all the right places" she remarked as her eyes swept over his vulnerable form. "I don't know whether to kill it…or lick it" she harshly mocked as she advanced towards him.

Derek pressed himself against the grimy wall in an effort to place as much distance as he possibly could between them. Her menacing gaze alone made him feel completely exposed and stripped of any power and control over the situation.

"Sweetie…sweetie" Kate purred as she swooped downwards to whisper in his ear. "We didn't kill your sister."

The sound of her voice and the sensation of her breath on his neck made him flinch in alarm. She pressed himself closer to him. "Don't believe me? Listen to my heart…" she said mockingly. A moment of silence passed as Derek listened intently. "That's the steady beat of the cold-hard truth" she breathed, finally withdrawing from her torment of him.

"Now all we want is for you to tell us who the alpha is. We'll get rid of it and you have one less threat. It's a win-win situation" Kate explained as her eyes glimmered with anticipation.

Derek glowered back at her in response. He didn't know. Even if he did he would never cooperate with her.

"Oh you don't know…" Kate realised in surprise. "Well then I suppose you are completely useless" she hissed as a wicked grin spread across her face. Her hands clenching around her gun, before unleashing a hail of bullets towards him.

Derek responded swiftly as he launched himself up of the floor and fled the room, leaping out into the forest. He sped away from the threat, panting slightly before he reached the safety of the densely packed trees. He ran his hands through his hair as he calmed himself. Hunters. He cursed to himself as he punched a nearby tree in frustration.

"So…" Stiles pondered as he looked up at Isabelle in curiosity. "I thought you might be interested in something I've been researching into" he tossed a file in her direction, sitting backwards as he awaited her reaction.

Isabelle felt a twinge of trepidation creeping up her spine as she examined the file. Beacon Hills Fire Department – Field Incident Report. Hale House Fire.

"There's something that just doesn't feel right about the whole thing" Stiles explained as Isabelle's eyes remained fixated on the text. "I thought it couldn't hurt to look into it in a bit more detail…" he trailed off as he watched her closely.

She flicked through the sheets in front of her, her eyes scanning the words intently, searching for answers. Cause of fire: Electrical malfunction. Arson suspected. The words leapt out at her as her hands tightened their grip on the file. Arson. Murder. Could Derek have been telling the truth about her family's involvement in the fire? Her nightmares flashed before her of a house billowing with smoke as a ferocious fire consumed it invaded her mind. Images of Derek standing as a solitary figure in the ruins of the ash and embers… It couldn't be.

She almost did not want to carry on reading. She did not want to be confronted with her family's dark history. But she had to. She had to know.

"Allison answer your cellphone" Uncle Chris snarled down his mobile as he stormed out of Beacon Hills High School.

He and Victoria had discovered the truth about Allison missing school that day during their student-teacher conference. Isabelle winced as she listened to the harshness of her uncle's tone. He was furious.

"Answer it now and it will make discussing the terms of your grounding much easier. Call me back before your punishment reaches biblical proportions" he growled as he hung up the phone, turning around to face his wife and niece. "I cannot believe her" he fumed angrily.

"I'm sure she's got a good explanation-" Isabelle attempted to defend her cousin.

"There is no justification for this type of behaviour" Chris snapped. "If I find out that this has anything to do with that Scott I'll…" he trailed off, his eyes flashing with rage.

"Kate hasn't heard from her either" Victoria told them worriedly, glancing around the car park in a desperate search for her daughter.

"She doesn't do this" Chris hissed, gesturing frustrated with his hands. "Neither of you two would behave like this" he reasoned as he fixed his gaze of his niece. "Isabelle I'm warning you now, never get a boyfriend I dislike as much as Scott" he cautioned, only slightly light-heartedly.

"Excuse me-" a voice interrupted the family's conversation as a woman approached the group. "You're Allison's parents, aren't you? I'm Scott's mom and I hate to say it but he's not answering his phone either" she introduced herself with a small smile in greeting.

"You're his mother!" Chris repeated scornfully, his disdainful eyes raking over her.

Melissa scoffed. "Funny that you say that like it's an accusation" she defended, glowering at Chris.

"Well I wouldn't claim it as a source of pride since he basically kidnapped my daughter today-"

"Uncle Chris that's not fair. Allison's her own person and she makes her own decisions" Isabelle protested softly. "It's definitely not his mom's fault. You're overreacting to-"

"Overreacting?" Chris hissed, his eyebrows raising indignantly. "Allison is missing and has abandoned all her responsibilities because of some boy!"

"How do we know that skipping school wasn't your daughter's idea?" Melissa objected.

"My daughter…" Chris trailed off. "They're right there" he nodded towards the car park. Isabelle followed her uncle's gaze and saw a rather dejected Allison and a panicked Scott hesitantly making their way towards the group.

"Where exactly have you been?" Melissa harangued her son as they met the two teenagers.

"Don't worry mom-"

"Why weren't you at school?" she interrupted his protestations firmly.

"It's not his fault" Allison attempted to defend Scott. "It's my birthday and we were-" her pleas were cut off by Chris' firm voice.

"Allison…get in the car."

A moment of tense silence passed before a sudden scream drew their attention. Suddenly a cloud of confusion and chaos consumed the air as people were sprinting across the car park towards their vehicles. Isabelle's head spun around trying to locate the source of the distress. Was it the alpha?

"Is!" her uncle's voice caught her attention and she turned around to face him. "I'll grab my gun, it could be the alpha attacking" he whispered quietly. "Get Allison and lock yourselves in the car with your aunt now."

"But-" Isabelle began to protest.

"No. You're not ready" he grabbed her arm protectively. "It's my job to keep you safe Is" he told her decisively before he turned away to locate his weapon in the car boot.

Isabelle glanced around trying to find her cousin. Where had she gone? Where had Scott gone? Her desperate search was interrupted by a menacing growl echoing through the air. She felt her chest tighten involuntarily. She had to find them. She moved swiftly further into the car park to find her cousin and Scott. Her hazel eyes scanned the area in a panic before the landed upon Allison. She felt a fleeting surge of relief before her eyes widened in horror, seeing the car heading towards her cousin. She tried to make the warning scream leave her lips but her dry throat trapped the words inside her mouth.

"Allison!" Scott yelled as he ran towards her, pulling her safely to the side. "Are you okay?" he asked her, concern lacing his voice.

Isabelle ran over to the pair. "Allison, are you okay?" she asked worriedly as she watched her cousin's hands begin to shake in shock.

"Yeah- yeah" Allison responded breathlessly. "I'm fine. I'm fine dad-" she addressed her father as he raced over.

A loud noise once again interrupted their conversation as they turned around to see Sheriff Stilinski collide with a vehicle. He sat up quickly, holding his side with one hand as his other reached down towards his gun. The growling became even louder as the creature prowled around the cars, advancing ever closer to them.

A loud bang echoed through the air, puncturing the chaos. Chris lowered his weapon as the audience examined the scene before them. It was a mountain lion. Isabelle exhaled in relief as she realised her fears had been unfounded. It wasn't the alpha. This time.

She glanced at her cousin, examining Allison's eyes which were filled with shock and dismay, not being able to meet the gaze of her father. Isabelle supposed it must have been strange for Allison to see her father shoot something down dead. She didn't know about the things he's had to do as a hunter.

Isabelle turned her attention to Scott as he nervously glanced at her uncle. No doubt he was wondering if Chris would be willing to perform the same action on him if he were to lose control of his werewolf abilities.

She then looked at her uncle, her eyes filled with concern. He met her gaze as they both realised the danger that still surrounded them. The alpha was still out there. There were still more fights to be fought.

AN:

Again, apologies for me being such a rubbish and inconsistent writer. I suddenly found inspiration again and decided to upload this new chapter. I think I just find it difficult to balance with how busy my life can be.

So no scenes between Derek and Isabelle this time but hopefully you can see the progression of both their characters which is essential for their growth of their relationship. Kate is definitely an obstacle in the road which they will both have to come to terms with.

Please let me know what you think (especially if you're like Derek's perspective, I think it's necessary but I really want to do his character justice). Thank you for your patience and for reading this story. I'm so sorry it's taken me so long but I hope you enjoy this long-awaited chapter. (I also made a new cover photo for this story so I hope you like that as well!) xx

Review Responses:

chloejayne123: Thank you for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Cameron: Thank you so much for your review! I'm glad you like the story and I'm so happy that you enjoy Derek's pov, hopefully you like his scenes in this chapter.

twibe: Thank you for the review! I hope you love this chapter as well!

ANerdyAuthor: Awwh thank you so much, it means a lot that you like the story so much! Sorry it took me so long to bring out a new chapter but I hope you can enjoy it!

Guest: Thank you for your review! I definitely agree that too much angst isn't a good thing! This chapter is again a bit heavy on the angst (it was sadly required because of Kate's attack on Derek) but don't worry, there'll be plenty of fluff in the future.