Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She clasped her hands between her knees and looked down at them, shrugging. The werewolves’ easy acceptance confused her — they trusted so very easily. After a moment, flicking a glance up at Isaac, she started to write again, telling him all the things she’d told Derek earlier that day: how she couldn’t remember very much before a few weeks ago; how she could sense emotions; how she was alone and hungry and needed help; how someone was after her but she didn’t know why. Derek’s soft noises from the kitchen seemed cosily domestic, and at the end, she wrote, ‘I want to be safe here.’
Isaac read over the whole story — twice — and then passed the pad back to Summer. “Wow. That’s some story.” Derek stepped to the door of the kitchen then and let them know that the food was ready. Isaac stood and gently helped Summer to her feet. “You’ll be safe here. We’ll watch out for you,” he told her and smiled gently before heading toward the kitchen.
She stared after him for a moment, eyes flicking to Derek, pad dangling limply from her hand. That simply? That easily, people took her in? A rush of relief, akin to the one she felt earlier in the day, overtook her, and she blinked hard so as not to cry. Putting the pad down, she couldn’t stop the huge grin from spreading across her face, and didn’t even try. Instead she all but bounded into the kitchen, leaning close to the chicken to sniff in a deep breath. Her mouth watered and her stomach growled again.