Derek was never one to shut down someone's curiosity, even if he wasn't always forthcoming with answers. But this was something that could keep both Alcuin and Scott safe, and though Scott or his sister should be handling it, they obviously weren't. Which left Derek.
"Anchors aren't physical objects," he explained. "They're...concepts. They're what keep us from losing control. Your anchor reminds you who you are. Things like family. Sometimes they're people. And if you lose that person, or your feelings change, you have to find something else to hold on to."
Derek had had a few anchors during his life. His family. Paige. Anger. Revenge. Right now, if pressed, he would say it was his responsibilities to Laura, and to Isaac, Stiles, and Allison.