[ dalphahale ]
She touches one claw with a gentle fingertip, then holds up her hand, fingers curved a little, like his. Her fingernails are long, but they aren’t claws. She looks from her hand to his, then back up at him, still radiating that curiosity. It’s as if she’s saying, ‘why do you have claws and I don’t?’
Derek watched her, his eyebrows almost pressed together as he tried to concentrate. “What?” he asked, bringing his hand back to himself and letting his claws retract. “It’s because I’m a werewolf … It’s why my eyes glow, too.”
Her lips part in a silent ‘o’ of understanding, and some of the weight seems to fall from her shoulders. Her smile is relieved. She steps back a little, and points to herself, then touches her ears, then reaches out and touches his chest, over his heart, very lightly.