CHAPTER 111

Tristan was back in Elias' house, helping him look after Derek's betas who had finally retracted their steps from death's door.

Whatever Satomi used as some sort of supernatural ointment worked like a charm and they were both completely healed up, at least physically. There was no doubt that both Erica and Isaac, especially the latter, had deep rooted trauma due to the torturous experience he was subjected to.

"Hey, do you know where Derek ran off to?" Erica asked.

Tristan, who was in the kitchen making brunch, looked up at her and shook his head. "My guess is that he's hunting Gerard. Where he is right now, I have no idea."

Erica seemed to accept that as she nodded, inwardly feeling a bit angry since Derek still didn't bother to bring them along on his hunt.

She looked at Tristan again and looked at herself and Isaac, wondering what was the difference between them. "How do you do it?" She ended up asking.

"Do what?"

"You know, like…"

Isaac cut in at that point, "Derek says you're stronger, maybe the strongest beta he's seen. That's why your Alpha doesn't worry about you and what you do."

Tristan stopped what he was doing and looked at them, silently hoping that he wouldn't be the one to help them with their psychological wounds. "You said it, right? It's because I'm strong."

Even though he hoped it would end there, neither Erica nor Isaac looked to be satisfied with his answer. "But how? Is it an age thing? Like you grow stronger the older you become?"

Tristan shook his head and went back to what he was doing while keeping an ear open for them. "Definitely not. It's honestly based on two things, at least for werewolves, and maybe other supernatural creatures that live in groups: bonds, and a reason to fight."

"…."

The two of them feel silent at that, unable to show the appropriate reaction they should have had for Tristan's words.

Erica, a little flabbergasted, couldn't help but ask. "Bonds?"

Tristan nodded.

"Are you kidding me? I've heard it a hundred times from Derek but it was more of a physiological, something meta, or shit like that." Isaac said. He wouldn't say he didn't understand the meaning of their bond with Derek, he absolutely did, but he had no idea it could be… weaponized, so to speak.

"That's basically it. That's why it's imperative for an Alpha to have a pack, or else he's just a stronger beta all things considered." Tristan further added.

The both of them nodded in understanding – acceptance – and pushed it aside for now, knowing asking Derek will be much better than Tristan's explanation.

"As for a reason, I'm sure you already have that down." Tristan said. After all what they went through was something most supernaturals never go through throughout their lives, he and Malia included along with almost the entirety of their pack.

It would be weird if they remained the same, naïve and weak, after all that.

"About time…" Tristan muttered and just then Derek walked in through the door.

All it took the trio was a glance and a whiff of the air around him to know that the man they were seeing was different from the last time they saw him. A staggering difference.

"You…" Tristan wanted to say something but held his tongue despite the murky and feral feeling he was getting from Derek and let him have his time with his betas.

He left the three of them to discuss whatever they wanted but the feeling he got from Derek told him all he needed to know about Gerard's survival.

"I'd say things will go back to normal after this but that'll be too much of a jinx." He muttered.

…..

Two hours later, after having a rather lengthy talk with the Buddhist Alpha, Derek was ready to leave with his betas.

On his way to his car where Isaac and Erica were waiting for him, he came across Tristan who looked as if he needed something from him.

"You want something?"

"Not much as wanting but more of hearing. What are you going to do after this?"

This question was something Satomi also asked Derek during their hour-long talk and the reason for this is that Beacon County needed an Alpha atop its hills.

Satomi couldn't because it'd go against her values and teachings of detaching herself as much as possible from the world, and because the Hale family and its pack acted as the chief of the hills back in the day when other Alphas were around.

And so Derek's answer to both Satomi and Tristan was pretty much obvious without him putting much thought to it.

"We're still around. This used to be my family's territory and now it's mine. Concerning the Argents, I doubt Chris will be coming after me anytime soon unless I give him a reason to."

"I see."

Derek chuckled at what he perceived as relief from the stone faced teen. "Don't worry. While I don't trust him, I doubt he'd blatantly try to come after you and Malia using his daughter."

Tristan tilted his head in slight confusion at Derek's words. "Trust me, while that's a valid worry, I don't care for it all that much."

Whistle.

"I don't know if you're apathetic or just cold." Derek remarked after seeing that Tristan was being truthful. Unlike what he would expect from you betas, the boy in front of him was more than prepared to kill his friend if the situation called for it.

Tristan shrugged at the comment. "It's none of that. I'm being practical, or at least I'm trying to be."

Derek patted Tristan's shoulder, his respect for the latter growing another step higher. "If I didn't know any better I'd say being cold hearted is a trait of all vampires. Take care, Tristan. I'll see you later."

Seeing Derek leaving for his car where the duo of Erica and Isaac were growing progressively impatient, Tristan called out. "Got any immediate plans?"

"Yeah, they're both right there." Derek replied without turning back.

Tristan watched as they drove away, noting how quick the three-man pack transformed. Into what? Of that he had no idea.

What he was sure of however is that they were a lot more dangerous now than they've ever been. An obvious outcome but surprising still.

"That's a little bit out of character for you. Showing care for others outside the family." Satomi who was now standing beside him idly commented.

Tristan turned to her, face blank, an expression that would have fooled others but she saw clearly the exasperated look in those eyes.

Tristan sighed, fueling Satomi's amusement further. "Grandma, why would you of all people think it's impossible for me to care for others."

"Oh my dear boy, it's not that I think it's impossible but it's that you make people think so. It's just that you put your duty to your family above all else to freely care."

She had a proud gleam in her eyes as she looked at him. He had come a long way from the little child with dead eyes that she found in the forest, but he still had a long way to go.

As a child who learns from what he sees and experiences, she knew what his problem was but didn't bother telling him.

A fulfilling life is a journey of self-discovery.

Tristan however, didn't see the same reasoning as his grandmother. "But I wholly consider Allison a friend. And my respect for Derek at this point makes us friendly, at the very least."

"True." She replied, agreeing with his words. "Let's use the young Allison as an example."

"… Sure." Tristan said, wondering where she was going with this.

"First of all, your honest opinion: You and Allison Argent, who do you think is more of a friend to the other."

Without hesitation, Tristan answered. "Definitely her." Satomi clicked her fingers at him. "Correct. And that's the difference between the two of you."

She stopped there and just smiled at his confused eyes, not explaining anything more. "I have to visit a friend, so I'll see you all later when I'm back."

Tristan scratched his head, utterly confused by how cryptic Satomi has been with her words recently, especially when speaking to him.

His thoughts were however cut short by the vibration of his phone in his pockets.

He took it out and the slightest hint of his lips twitching showed as he saw the caller.

"Allison?"

"Hey Tristan."

"What's up? Need something?" He asked. It was a little rare for Allison to call him instead of texting him, which was also not a frequent thing.

"…Uhm, no. I just felt like talking." She paused a bit before replying.

And that was another sigh.

"You heard."

Allison's sigh then came through the speaker. "Yeah. My dad is making a few calls concerning the funeral. It's just… honestly I don't even know how to feel? I've known him for years as this very doting grandpa, the best…"

"But your last memories of him are the exact opposite."

Sigh. "Yeah. I just needed to talk to someone and between you and Malia, I thought you'd understand better."

"To be honest, I honestly don't." Tristan said but paused for a bit, his most recent conversation with his grandma playing in his head. "I'm free at the moment. So even if I don't understand, I think I can lend an ear for a while."

"…"

"Allison?"

"Oh, right. Thanks. Honestly I had no idea what response to expect when I decided to call you…"

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