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Can I talk about Boyd and Erica for a second?
These two baby betas joined the pack so they could be strong, so they could have a place where they belonged and it fucking kills me. They didn’t sign up to be hunted, to be even bigger outcasts than they were, so of course they run. They run because they’re 16 and scared and they took the bite so they wouldn’t have to feel that way ever again. So they could be part of a pack.
The looks on their faces when they tell Derek about the howls in the forest says it all, they don’t listen to him because they want so bad for it to be dozens of wolves, ones that know what they’re doing, ones that can protect them because they’re 16 and scared and they didn’t sign up for a war.
When Boyd grabs Erica’s hand, even without romantic implications, it’s because they’re all the other has and he takes her hand to let her know he’s there, to let her know he’ll protect her because even if he’s scared, she’s got it worse because Erica’s had to deal with fear so much longer than he has so he gets the fuck over it and takes her hand and that’s what pack really is right there. It’s being 16 and scared but putting on a brave face because you’ve got something worth protecting, something worth demanding to be left behind to die for, something worth turning back and getting shot with arrow after arrow for.
And I just wish Derek could see that. See how many people he has willing to turn back for him, to take an arrow for him, to tread water for hours for him because they know how willingly he’d stay behind to face gunfire and alphas and kanimas to keep them safe. That he could see how strong having someone to lean on makes you.
