00:00:00
In a universe where everyone is born with numbers on their wrists counting down to when they’ll meet their soulmate, send me 00:00:00 for my muses reaction to their numbers hitting zero when they meet yours.
Ennis followed a well-dressed older man down a hallway of elegant white walls with dark wood trim. The walls, and side tables that decorated the striking hallway had been littered with pictures of the family who lived in the estate. Happy, mirthful faces looked up at him behind protective glass. Vacations, birthdays, and professional photography created a road map of a family who had been close. He found himself drawn to one picture in particular of the teenage boy that seemed to be the most predominant in each of the pictures. His smile wide and confident enough to draw Ennis in, and wonder who he had been. He had picked up one of the pictures of the teenager in a Beacon Hills High basketball jersey leaning against his fellow teammates. For a moment, Ennis forgot that he had someone to follow and instead stared at the picture. He was unaware of the numbers on his wrist, so familiar with them that it went unnoticed that the numbers slowly ticked down to 00:00:00.
”Ennis?”
The sound of his name drew his attention from the picture. His brow knitted and he held up the picture. “Who is this?”
"That’s my son, Derek." The man approached and took the picture from Enni’s fingers and he allowed it. He turned his umber gaze back to the protective glass and the picture that it guarded. "That was his last basketball game — he scored them the win," the well-dressed man said proudly.
"Is he Talia’s?" Ennis asked.
Ennis looked at the man, who glared at him sharply. In the end, the human in front of him relented to the gaze but did not take his eyes off of Ennis. Perhaps Talia had taught the human well after all. “You mean is he mine from a previous marriage or if he is Talia’s and is a werewolf?” He nodded simply and the man sighed and started back down the hallway where he paused at the door and opened it to reveal a lavish study. “He’s a werewolf like his sisters. My wife will be down in a minute.”
00:00:20
Down the staircase ran a little girl with a high-pitched squeal of laughter as she held tightly to a basketball. Ennis’ head jerked up as a powerful growl sounded from the top of the stairs. He only could see a flash. Strong hands gripped the banister and the body lunged over the side and came down hard against the wooden panels on the first floor. “CORA! GIVE ME BACK MY AUTOGRAPHED BASKETBALL!” The teenager snarled.
"DADDY DEREK IS GOING TO EAT ME! HELP!" squealed the youngest, who Ennis assumed was Cora. The little wolf ran passed him, and caused him to hug the wall. He stepped away, only to feel someone collide into his back. He turned to glare.
00:00:00
The teenager peered up at him, and for a moment, Ennis saw a flicker of fear cross Derek’s eyes before it was replaced with confidence and fearlessness. “Move you big mountain!” Ennis allowed Derek to push him aside and run after his little sister.
Mr. Hale let go of the study door and yelled after his children before he turned back to Ennis. ‘You can wait in the study - DEREK! CORA! COME BACK HERE!”
He tilted his head and watched the human run after his two werewolf children and for a moment wondered how that worked. How could he subdue two children that may never respect him - or perhaps they did. Both Ennis’ parents had been werewolves and not mixed. Ennis winced as his wrist spasmed and he rose it up and pulled down the sleeve to scratch. Briefly, his eyes darted at the clock embedded into his flesh but paid no mind to it as he entered the study to wait to introduce himself to Talia Hale.
52594:56:30
Ennis had not seen the clock hit zero. He had not noticed it had reset for the next time that he would meet Derek Hale in a face-to-face confrontation.