#coraxderek

It should have come as some sort of relief when Derek smashed his fist into Jennifers nose, there should have been at least a flicker of hope to how this is all going to end, but the sinking feeling which resides in the bottom of her stomach, makes Cora feel like her life is about to be turned upside down again. She doesn’t want to believe Derek can’t win Jennifer, but there’s this feeling which is so dark and terrifying and it won’t leave her. 

She knows she should be listening to what Jennifer is spouting off about, but the youngest Hale is channelling through her pain and trying in desperation to show her strength and solidarity to her brother. 

Ba-boom Ba-boom Ba-boom Ba-boom.

Like a bass drum, her heartbeat pounds through her skull, but right now, it is Derek’s that she is trying to focus on. 

This is her own fault--she never trusts easily and Jennifer managed to worm her way into her more compassionate side, finding a connection in relation to the loneliness Cora sometimes felt--helping her on the night of the Opera house fire. Derek never wanted to trust the woman--he did it for his sister, just like he is doing this now....for her.

She has to be strong, she has to show him that she believes in him and against the ever-increasing odds, that they will both come out of this together and alive.

Though this is made decidedly difficult when the force of the shockwave can be felt through Cora’s entire body. Her lungs drag in the air to get enough oxygen in them before letting a loud gasp escape her lips.

“DEREK!”

She yanks down ruthlessly on the chains, causing the flesh on her wrists to rip even more, but it doesn’t matter because Cora just needs to get to him.

“D-Derek, get up!...you have to get up!!”

She moves her entire body as much as possible towards him, managing to close the gap slightly and touching him with her leg.

Turning her visual to Jennifer, she growls with as much aggression as she can summon.

“You stay the fuck away from my brother!”

How could this happen to me? I made my mistakes I've got nowhere to run The night goes on As I’m fading away I’m sick of this life I just wanna scream How could this happen to me?

Cora had been rather quiet around Derek for the past few days and if she was honest, she’d made sure to spend time on her own away from the loft. It seemed the best way because she wasn’t in such a great mood and the last thing she wanted to do was take it out on him. The both of them had been through enough and even though she had some grumbles about him seeing Hayley, it’s a double-edged sword because she wants to see him happy too and the female alpha seems to be able to do that.

One thing about the youngest Hale though is she might be level headed at times, hot-headed at other times. She might also be very direct and behave way past her years now and again, but she is a teenager and even though it’s hard to believe, there are times when she seeks out a little excitement.

--which is why she is now behind the wheel of Derek's vehicle. 

She’d spotted his keys on the side and knowing he was somewhere upstairs, Cora decided rather than walk, she’d take a drive out. Reversing sharply so the vehicle skids, the tyres kick up dust into the air and she smirks, the power of speed beneath her fingertips as she holds the wheel, is something she will always get an adrenaline boost from. 

Just as she is about to put it into drive and hit the gas pedal, Cora sees Derek standing there and slams on the brake.

“JEEEEZ.....”

Today is a bad day--a really bad day every inch of the way.

Cora thought things seemed to be getting better, she was pretty sure that she had control of the whispers and shadows that she’d been experiencing. Yet today it is like they have come back tenfold and there’s this silhouette which she keeps catching in her peripheral vision, yet as she turns quickly to see who it is, the figure becomes more detailed but not enough to catch the facial features.

She inhales deeply, desperate to maintain some kind of composure, but whatever is happening, it seems relentless and the young Hale feels like she has been taken back emotionally to her travels up to New Orleans over two years ago. There’s a sense of isolation--aggression, which surrounds her and every face in the crowd could be that figure her mind is so desperately trying to retrieve the image of.

She can control her wolf and always has been able to even during any fights. If she shows it--it is done purposely, yet in these following minutes it is as though she is the weakest link and her wolf is pushing forwards to protect her.

--laughing...she can hear laughing.

Cora spins around and her vision is suddenly seen through wolf eyes, so she blinks rapidly to dispel it and paranoia finds it’s way in, burying itself into every nerve ending until she can’t help but lash out irrationally, her skin prickling and tingling.

“You think it’s funny do you?!...so you are a part of all this...you must be!”

The young Hale shoves the guy who is with two others. They all look at her like she has lost her mind, but instead of walking away, one angrily pushes her back and that is enough to throw a punch and a fight ensues. Their voices have little effect on her--it’s as though they are speaking underwater and with every punch that connects with her or them, it’s as though she is pushing everything else further and further away.

It isn’t like Cora hasn’t listened to the advice from the hospital, but the way she sees it is this--they don’t know about her werewolf healing capabilities. Although they were very shocked and surprised at how quickly she started to get better once she was out of her coma. 

Things are still going to be sore for a few days though. Her insides had more or less been crushed, so whilst organs, muscles and bones are fixed and functioning how they should, the youngest Hale still has some twinges and soreness, especially to her chest.

---This doesn’t matter though to her. 

What matters to Cora, is getting back to normal--running--training--being fit and able to take care of herself, because in a place like New Orleans, it’s definitely dangerous in her eyes, to still be in a weakened state.

So knowing Derek wouldn’t agree with her pushing her limits, the young wolf waits for him to leave the loft and it is then she gets really involved in pull ups on the bar and doing press ups on the floor. There’s a couple of times she has felt a sharp pain, but it still doesn’t stop her, even though some of the sweat isn’t just from exercise.

@animacruciari