The Bite is a Gift (No Returns)

by courtinator

Summary:

Derek doesn't always make the best decisions. Maybe that's how he ended up hiding out with a 16 year old kid in a dingy motel room. He should've left town when he had the chance.

Notes:

New story in the series! This takes place in the season 2 premiere, with a few things changed. Jackson was never bitten, so no kanima. And I'm not sure if I'll include Gerard in this, but I'm leaning toward no. I'm also planning on having a bit more humor in this story, since the last two were more about Isaac working through his trauma and finding his place in a new family. I love a bit of Derek and Isaac snark.

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Derek rolled his eyes as he scared away the grave robbing Omega. Honestly, what was the point of all that? He’d warned Scott about the dangers of being a lone wolf, but that was just ridiculous. Just because you didn’t have a pack, didn’t mean you couldn’t have a normal life. Derek was alone, but he wasn’t going around eating dead bodies like some sort of monster. And maybe he wasn’t going to be alone for much longer.

He’d noticed the kid a few days earlier, when he was walking around town at night. Derek wasn’t being creepy by walking in a cemetery in the dark, it was just a good place to be alone to get his thoughts together. And if he wanted to scope out Kate’s grave to piss on later, that was his business.

Derek was no stranger to odd jobs, having worked several during his time in New York, but it was a bit strange to see a teenager working a literal graveyard shift. He watched him from the trees a bit, taking note of how he did his work, while pausing every now and again to grab a book from his backpack and jot down some words. It wasn’t really the best way to do homework, but the kid seemed to be making it work.

Derek hadn’t even been considering offering him the bite, since he wasn’t looking to babysit, but his thoughts shifted a bit when the boy’s father showed up that night. He could tell they were related, thanks to their similar scents, but their emotions were wildly different. The older man was giving off nothing but anger and aggression. And Derek’s teeth were set on edge by the amount of fear pumping out of the boy. He wasn’t really the bleeding heart, savior type, but Derek couldn’t stand back and do nothing.

The Omega showing up had actually helped him, since it gave Derek the opportunity to be the hero. After he scared the werewolf away, he lifted the machinery covering the hole and stood at the edge in confident triumph. The boy was staring up at him in shock, huddled in the corner of the hole.

“Need a hand?” Derek asked, letting a bit of cockiness slip through. He needed to make becoming like him look as appealing as possible. Who wouldn’t want this kind of power? There had to be more people out there like him, not like Scott McCall. Derek didn’t wait long for a response, reaching his hand down for the kid to take. His fear of being stuck in a hole must’ve been stronger than the wariness of him, because he hesitantly grabbed him and Derek pulled him out with little effort. He flinched back so violently when his feet touched the grass that he almost fell right back into the hole, but Derek turned and steadied him before he could.

“What- who- what’s going on?” he whispered, trying to put a few feet of distance between them.

“Isaac-”

“How do you know my name?”

“I know a lot of things,” Derek shrugged. He probably shouldn’t have let his name slip out at this point, but it was too late now. “I’m Derek.”

“And I’m sixteen. I’m not sure what you want, but you don’t want it from me,” Isaac insisted, tucking his jacket tighter around his body.

“Actually, I’m here to offer you something.” That sounded worse.

“I don’t want it.”

“You don’t even know what it is,” Derek sighed. Maybe this was a bad idea. He would never bite someone against their will, like his uncle, but maybe he was looking in the wrong spot for a new pack. Derek could always find werewolves without an Alpha, but sometimes it was harder to build that camaraderie if they were used to serving another master. He sure wasn’t going to follow after that Omega and ask him to join.

“Please, just let me go. I don’t have any money to give you. I have a cell phone,” Isaac offered, pulling it out of his pocket and frowning down at the screen. “I’m sorry, it’s broken. Shit, now you know that I can’t call for help.”

“I’m not here to take anything from you. I’m here to give you something. A gift. Something that can help you.”

“No one helps other people for nothing,” Isaac muttered, glancing away.

“And who taught you that? The person who gave you that black eye?” Derek challenged. Isaac flinched, immediately bringing his hand up to touch the bruise.

“I got this at lacrosse,” Isaac murmured, the lie rolling easily off his tongue. But Derek could hear the lie in his heartbeat. And anyone who paid attention to Isaac and his father would be able to see the truth. A lot of things seemed to fly under the radar in Beacon Hills though.

“What if I told you I could help you protect yourself, whether it be from an elbow during lacrosse or something else?” Derek asked. “What if I could give you a power that you’d never even dreamed of?”

“If you’re offering me drugs, I don’t want them.” Derek really needed to work on his pitch before he ever attempted this again. He was almost ready to give up.

“Are you always this stubborn?” Derek sighed.

“Do you always go up to random strangers in a cemetery in the middle of the night?” Isaac shot back. Derek was glad to see there was at least a little bit of fight in this kid.

“No, but aren’t you glad I was here? Where would you be if I hadn’t saved you from the thing that dropped you in that hole?”

“How do I know that wasn’t you in the first place? You tipped- and then you lifted- but that’s impossible! Are you on steroids? Or bath salts?” Isaac stammered, backing up a few steps. This was getting Derek nowhere. He had to get this over with.

“Not quite,” Derek shrugged, letting his eyes shift red. Isaac stumbled back in shock, tripping over his feet and landing on his butt.

“This isn’t real,” Isaac whispered, clenching his eyes shut and shaking his head in denial. “I need to wake up.”

“It would be easier if you could just accept what you’re seeing.”

“Accept super strength and glowing eyes? Like you’re some sort of robot?”

“A werewolf actually,” Derek replied. Isaac looked up at him again and Derek slowly let his claws out, holding them up for him to see in the dim light. “What would you say if I told you that you could be one as well?”

“No.”

“No?” Derek repeated in surprise. Maybe he should’ve given in and bitten Jackson, although being stuck with that kid sounded like a nightmare.

“I don’t- I don’t want it.” Derek could hear the little bit of doubt he was trying to hide though. There was a part of him that was at least interested.

“And why not? Are you happy with your life the way it is now?” Derek challenged. Isaac sucked in a sharp breath, but didn’t respond. “Sometimes life deals you a bad hand and it feels like you’re gonna be stuck forever. But what if you didn’t have to be? This isn’t just strength, it’s confidence. It’s having people you can depend on. It’s family.”

“I already have a family. And just because you made assumptions about it doesn’t mean it isn’t good enough,” Isaac argued, finally climbing back up to his feet. “I’m saying no and that’s final.” Derek raised his hands in defeat, nodding his acceptance.

“I can respect your decision, but know this,” Derek started, letting his voice lower into a growl, “if I find out you told anyone about what I told you tonight, it won’t end well for you.” Too many people in this town knew about werewolves as it was.

“I know how to keep my mouth shut,” Isaac muttered and Derek flicked his eyes at the bruise on his face again. “I have to go to the office to call this in. It would probably be best if you weren’t here when the cops show up.”

“Remember what I said,” Derek warned, crossing his arms over his chest. “It would probably be best if you forget you ever met me.”

“Easier said than done, but okay,” Isaac murmured, turning to head off toward the building in the distance. He paused before he got too far, tilting his head to the side to face him again. “Thank you for helping me earlier. And not doing whatever it was that you wanted to do.” Derek shrugged him off, jerking his chin to tell him to get going.

This attempt had been a bust and the smart thing to do would be to hold off on trying again until he came up with a real plan. Or leave town and start somewhere new. But as Derek stomped off into the trees, he knew that wasn’t what he was going to do. This kid was stuck in his head now and there was no getting him out. Maybe he would watch him for a bit longer, just to make sure that he really kept quiet about everything. That’s what he could tell himself to make this less personal. Derek wasn’t worried about some kid he’d just met. And in a few days, they’d probably never cross paths again.

He was so wrong.

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

He wasn’t stalking Isaac. He wasn’t a stalker, no matter what Stiles might say. And he really needed to stop thinking about what that little nuisance would say. Derek was just making sure the kid kept his word about not running his mouth. And he was, as far as he could tell.

There were a few cops milling about the place in the early morning hours, including Sheriff Stilinski. While he was a fair man, Derek was glad that their business was over with. And he didn’t really plan to have further interactions with him. He was kindly asking Isaac a few questions, but even Derek bristled when he brought up Isaac’s black eye. His father was right next to him and Isaac let that same lacrosse lie roll out of his mouth. But Derek could smell the truth from a mile away. The smug look on his dad’s face just solidified it.

Maybe a kid who would let this happen to himself wasn’t the best choice to add to his pack? Derek needed someone strong. Isaac would probably be more trouble than he was worth. And getting smacked around a bit wasn’t the end of the world. Derek was done with this mess.

And yet, he found himself outside of the Lahey household that night. Derek didn’t know what was wrong with him. He wasn’t the type to be affected by sob stories or feel a drive to save the less fortunate. He rolled his eyes at those infomercials that came on at night about abused dogs. Not his problem and nothing he could do about it.

But he could do something about this. He just wasn’t sure what. Did he threaten Isaac’s dad to stop hurting his son? That would just cause more problems. Derek couldn’t stick around 24/7 and as soon as his back was turned, the anger of being confronted would fall onto Isaac.

He could always call CPS or the police, but that held the same risk. If Isaac lied and said everything was fine, or this didn’t meet the threshold for removal, Isaac was still stuck with an angry man. And getting thrown into the system was less than ideal. Derek had been lucky that he had Laura around until he was legal so they didn’t run into any issues like that. Did Isaac have anyone? He hadn’t seen the boy willingly speak to anyone the whole time he’d been watching.

Maybe he could nudge Scott in Isaac’s direction. He always had that goody goody, save the world vibe to him. It probably wouldn’t take much to convince him that he could use a new friend, especially if that friend was in peril. And why was he trying to adopt this kid out now? He needed to get out of Beacon Hills.

Derek tucked himself in between some vegetation across the street from Isaac’s house, listening for anything that sounded troubling. He didn’t really have an excuse to give anyone if he was found lurking, so he made sure to stay hidden. The neighborhood was mostly quiet, which was helpful. It kind of smelled like Jackson though, which was throwing him off. That was definitely someone he didn’t want to deal with right now. He hadn’t liked that kid from the moment he laid eyes on him.

Isaac’s dad was just asking him about grades when a loud crash a little bit down the road stole his attention. A car had backed out of a driveway and hit another car that was passing by. They both smacked into a parked van, which was now wailing an alarm. Derek gritted his teeth as the shrill sound pounded through his head, blocking out everything else. No one looked hurt, judging by the yelling and hand waving, so he didn’t feel obligated to go help. He probably wouldn’t have either way, since he wasn’t a helpful person. He didn’t care about anyone, regardless of how what he was doing right now might say otherwise.

By the time the accident was silenced and the people had gone, the Lahey house was quiet. Most of the lights he could see through the limited windows on the front of the house were off, so he figured they were headed to bed for the night. It was a bit early, but it made sense if they had to get to the cemetery for a shift later. Derek would wait until Isaac came out before going home for the night, just in case.

But Isaac didn’t come out. And as the sun rose to signal the start of another day, Derek found himself getting kind of annoyed. Sure, no one forced him to stand in the bushes all night, but he had. And for nothing. Apparently Isaac didn’t have a shift that day, which was nice for him, but Derek wished he would’ve known that beforehand, so he wouldn’t have wasted his time.

Isaac’s dad came out of the house a little while later and drove away without any fanfare. The wolf in Derek growled and wanted to spring out at the sight of him. Some people were just bad and all of Derek’s instincts were screaming that Isaac’s dad was one of those people. He hoped Isaac had a plan for getting out of here as soon as he was legal, if he was really dead set on refusing the bite. Maybe Derek would ask him, if he ever decided to leave his house.

Jackson had already driven off in his stupid car, so Derek knew that school would be starting soon. And since Isaac didn’t have a car, he would definitely be late. That was pretty unlike him, at least during Derek’s few days of observation. It still wasn’t stalking. Derek wasn’t keeping a log or anything, but he noticed things like patterns and routines. This wasn’t normal.

Derek made sure the coast was clear before walking across the street as casually as he could. Just an honest man spreading the good word, if anyone thought he was suspicious. He walked up to the front door and knocked, listening for any signs of movement. There were none and as he strained to hear further, he could barely make out the sound of a heartbeat.

Before he could think about it, Derek’s shoulder was through the front door. He quickly shut it behind him, not needing the evidence of his breaking and entering clear for the neighborhood to see. This was going to be interesting to explain, but he could worry about that later. First, he needed to find Isaac.

Derek followed his nose through the house, which wasn’t very helpful. Everything smelled like Isaac, since he lived there. He paused when he got to the kitchen, finding a mess of broken glass next to one of the walls. The rest of the room wasn’t much better, with broken dishes scattered about and food scraps discarded on the table. He cursed the drivers from the night before whose display must’ve obscured the noise of all this happening.

Derek kept going, finding himself in what he assumed was Isaac’s bedroom. It was a basic room with a bed and dresser, but not much else. He could appreciate someone who wasn’t bogged down with a bunch of stuff. It made it easier to pack up and go at a moment’s notice. The one thing the room was missing was Isaac.

Derek forced himself to ignore the scents and focus on a different sense. If sniffing him out wasn’t working, he’d have to rely on hearing. He closed his eyes, blocking out the ambient noise as he sought out the thump of Isaac’s heart. It was faint when he eventually caught it again, and seemed to come from below him. He walked down the halls until he found the door that revealed a staircase.

“Isaac, you down here?” Derek called out. Werewolf healing or not, he didn’t want to startle the kid into shooting him or something. Although that would be a better sign than what his heartbeat was telling him. While Derek knew how to be quiet, it seemed unlikely that Isaac wouldn’t have heard him by now. But the beats stayed steady, indicating that he hadn’t. And Derek was pretty sure it wasn’t due to a deep-seated trust between the two of them.

When it came to basements, this one was a bit unsettling. There was junk everywhere. He didn’t even want to deal with the creepy doll sitting on the chair along the side of the room. The hope that Isaac had been hanging out down here enthralled in a book or something was long since dashed.

Derek couldn’t hold back his growl when he noticed the marks on the cement floor. He bent down to touch them, knowing the force it would’ve taken for blunt, human nails to leave behind something like that. The complete desperation and panic. He followed in the direction they went, finally coming across a chest freezer. A chest freezer with a padlock on it. Derek had the fleeting hope that maybe Isaac was a sleep eater or something and that was there for an innocuous reason. But the freezer wasn’t plugged in.

“Holy shit,” Derek mumbled as soon as he ripped the lock off and threw open the lid. If he hadn’t still been able to hear a heartbeat, he would’ve been convinced that he was looking down at a corpse. Isaac was a tall kid, a bit taller than Derek, but you wouldn’t be able to tell right now. His body was curled in on itself and even Derek’s joints felt stiff looking at him.

“Isaac, come on,” Derek said, reaching down to jostle his shoulder. He didn’t get more than a little head wobble in response. Derek grit his teeth, crossing his hands over his chest. “This isn’t what I signed up for. I’m not dealing with this. I wanted a pack, not a community service project.”

Derek could walk away. He could leave this house and never look back. Isaac wasn’t his problem. If he was feeling extra charitable, he could drop a line at the sheriff’s station, but that was all he would do. He could leave Beacon Hills without thinking about this ever again.

But then his stupid arms were reaching down and pulling the kid from his prison. Isaac’s head lolled and rested against Derek’s neck as he held him bridal style and Derek tried to convince himself that he felt the urge to drop him on the floor, but it would be a lie. There was no longer a part of Derek willing to leave this kid in this hellhole. And there probably never was. He was so screwed.

Chapter 3: Chapter 3

This wasn’t kidnapping. Derek wasn’t a kidnapper. He just happened to have taken a teenager from their home without their consent to a different location. Not a big deal at all. The abandoned train depot he was squatting in and his burned up house seemed too creepy to take him to, so Derek rented a room in a motel on the outskirts of town.

Derek dropped Isaac on one of the beds, then gave him a once over. He wasn’t about to lift any clothing or move him around to be more thorough, since that would be hard to explain if Isaac woke up in the middle of it. But he could see new marks on Isaac’s skin that hadn’t been there before. There was a cut on his cheek and his lip was split, in addition to the bruise that was still around his eye. There was more discoloration peeking out from under the top of his collar, but Derek couldn’t see how far it went. Nothing looked critical, so he just let him be. The only thing that was really worrying was the fact that the boy hadn’t woken up. If he was in a coma or something, Derek would drop him outside of a hospital and be on his way.

Luckily, it didn’t come to that. A few minutes later Isaac started to stir. Derek sat down on the other bed, trying to look casual and unaffected. He grabbed a random book out of the side table drawer and flipped through it, even though he wasn’t actually reading a word.

Isaac twitched, swiping a hand to one side before he was fully awake. The lack of resistance must’ve triggered something in his subconscious because he sat up with a gasp, panting as he stared straight ahead.

“You okay?” Derek grunted. Isaac jolted in surprise at his voice, falling off the bed and landing on the floor with a thump. “Really?”

“What the fuck? Where am I?” Isaac groaned, pulling himself back up to his feet with the aid of the comforter. “What are you doing?”

“Which question would you like me to answer first?” Derek smirked.

“Well, I think ‘what the fuck’ kind of covers everything!” Isaac snapped.

“You talk to your dad with that mouth?” Derek shot back, and he instantly knew that was not the right thing to say. Who could blame him though? He was frustrated and in a situation that he shouldn’t have been involved in. Why couldn’t Isaac be a little more grateful?

“Screw you,” Isaac whispered, turning his back to him. Derek sighed, standing up and tossing his book back onto the table. Isaac flinched at the sound of it hitting the surface.

“I’m trying to help you.”

“And I told you the other night that I don’t want or need your help!” Isaac shouted, whirling back around.

“Keep your voice down!” Derek hissed. The last thing he needed were the cops to be called.

“Why? If you’re such a good guy and only helping out a person in need, why does it have to be kept quiet?” Isaac challenged.

“You know why, so lower your volume,” Derek growled, letting his eyes flash red.

“Whatever you’re gonna do, just do it already. It doesn’t matter what you say because it always ends the same way,” Isaac spat, holding his arms out to his sides.

“And how’s that?”

“You saw how,” Isaac ground out as his face turned red in embarrassment.

“Yeah, I did. And that’s why I got you out of there,” Derek shot back. “I thought you’d show a little more appreciation.”

“Appreciation? For what?” Isaac laughed bitterly. “I only had to make it through a couple more years and then I’d be free.”

“You think you can make it that long locked in a freezer?”

“I wasn’t always in there! And you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Then explain it to me. Tell me how you can act like getting you out of there wasn’t the best thing that ever happened to you.”

“Because that’s all I have! And it wasn’t great, but I was dealing with it!” Isaac exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. “Do you have any idea how much worse it’s going to be for me when I go back?”

“You’re not going back,” Derek replied evenly.

“What? What are you talking about?” Isaac spluttered, looking at him like he was crazy. Maybe he was.

“You’re not going back,” Derek repeated. He may be an asshole, but he wasn’t going to let a kid go back into that situation.

“And where am I supposed to go? I have nothing and no one.”

“You have me.” Derek and Isaac had twin looks of disgust after that statement. He was starting to sound way too corny. “Look, I didn’t plan this, okay? But when I found you in that basement, I knew I couldn’t leave you there.”

“How did you even find me?” Isaac asked, and Derek looked away briefly. “Were you following me?”

“I was making sure you kept your word about not saying anything,” Derek said defensively. He wasn’t going to admit to any misguided sense of doing what was right.

“I did keep my word,” Isaac insisted.

“Well, you didn’t have much of a chance to tell anyone, did you? How do I know you won’t when-”

“When my dad isn’t kicking my ass and locking me up in the basement?” Isaac finished for him with a snarl. “Is it your turn to take up the mantle?”

“No, I’m not doing that,” Derek scoffed.

“Why not?” Isaac challenged, walking around the bed so they were standing face to face with nothing between them. “Why not get rid of your problem?”

“You should stop. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

“Make me,” Isaac goaded, shoving him back a step.

“Isaac,” Derek said in a slow voice, the warning clear.

“What? Make me keep my mouth shut,” Isaac hissed, trying to provoke him into lashing out. Derek had dealt with bigger annoyances without losing his cool. Stiles still being alive proved that. Isaac made another move toward him and Derek held up his hands to block his momentum. The second his hands came into contact with Isaac’s chest, the younger boy winced and turned away, trying to hide his reaction.

“What was that?” Derek demanded, moving positions so he was blocking Isaac in between the beds. He didn’t want him to try to slink away.

“Nothing,” Isaac muttered, folding his arms loosely across his chest.

“Show me,” Derek commanded, tipping his head toward Isaac’s midsection.

“What? No!” Isaac huffed.

“Show me,” Derek said again, using his most authoritative voice. Isaac looked away in embarrassment, but slowly lowered his hands to the hem of his shirt. He lifted it up to just under his armpits, but that was enough for Derek to see all he needed to see.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Isaac said quickly, and Derek realized he’d started growling deep in his chest. He reached his hand out, resting his fingers on the discolored skin. There was barely a patch that wasn’t covered in bruises. Isaac was holding himself as still as possible, watching Derek’s movements with apprehension. “What are you doing?”

“Wait,” Derek mumbled, concentrating on his current action. He watched in satisfaction as the black veins climbed up his arm, barely paying attention to the burn of his body working through the discomfort.

“What are you doing?” Isaac whispered, looking down at what was happening in amazement.

“I’m taking your pain away. It doesn’t last forever and it doesn’t get rid of all of it, but it helps,” Derek explained.

“Why?”

“Because I’m not going to sit here and watch you hurt when I can do something about it,” Derek replied, moving his hand back after he’d done all he could. Isaac was staring at him like he wasn’t sure what to say. As if he wasn’t used to anyone doing something nice for him. He probably wasn’t and Derek didn’t feel anything in response to that thought.

“Thank you,” Isaac mumbled, looking away. But not before Derek could see the shine of moisture in his eyes.

“It’s no big deal. Just something else I can do,” Derek brushed off, walking over to where he’d set his bag by the door earlier and rifling around in it. He didn’t need anything, but it gave Isaac a chance to pull himself together without having Derek in his face. “You’d be able to do it as well, if you accepted my offer.”

“I- I don’t-” Isaac murmured before clearing his throat. “I don’t think so.”

“Still your decision,” Derek shrugged, trying not to let his disappointment show. He could see that the idea of it was still too much to deal with, along with everything else.

“Can I- do you mind if I lie down?” Isaac asked quietly.

“Bed’s all yours,” Derek answered, gesturing to where Isaac had been laying earlier. Isaac nodded, crawling on top of the covers and turning to face the wall away from Derek. He held himself stiffly on the very edge, as if he was worried about taking up too much space. Derek sat back down on his own bed, seeing nothing else better to do. He pulled his phone out, scrolling through web pages to pass the time.

After a few minutes, he heard quiet sniffles coming from the other bed. And if he concentrated, he could smell the slight scent of salty tears. Derek wasn’t quite sure what set the boy off, but he was going to leave him to it. If he needed to cry, he could do it. Derek wasn’t going to coddle him or deride him for it.

It wasn’t as though Derek had unwittingly accepted the responsibility of taking care of this kid. He would get him back on his feet, then send him on his way if he didn’t change his answer about becoming a werewolf. Beyond that, Derek didn’t really care at all. And maybe if he kept telling himself that, it would make it true.

Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Isaac woke up from his nap a few hours later with a jolt and a gasp. He’d cried himself to sleep, never moving from the position he’d laid down in. At least it was better than the earlier unconsciousness, but Derek had never seen a teenager who slept so much. Werewolves had so much natural energy that he was starting to get a little antsy just sitting around, but he couldn’t risk leaving to blow off steam.

“I really hope that isn’t how you always wake up,” Derek huffed, eyeing Isaac as he carefully rolled onto his back.

“I don’t usually have an audience,” Isaac grunted, rolling his shoulders and grimacing a little.

“You okay?” Derek asked, trying not to sound like he cared too much, since he didn’t. Just bored curiosity.

“Peachy. This is exactly how I wanted to spend my… whatever day this is,” Isaac snorted. Well, at least he wasn’t crying anymore. Derek could deal with an asshole better than someone emotional. Like knows like. “Am I supposed to be in school?”

“Do you even like school?”

“Does anyone like school?”

“No one normal.”

“Home, school, work. One shitty place after another,” Isaac muttered, staring at the ceiling. “I wonder where this place will end up on the ranking.”

“Well, I was about to order pizza. Does that tip the scales?”

“Really?” Isaac asked, perking up a little.

“Do you really think I’m about to cook in this place?” Derek questioned, waving his hand toward the tiny microwave in the corner. That and a coffee maker was basically their kitchen.

“I thought maybe you’d go out and catch a deer or something. Or rob another grave.”

“I didn’t rob the first one. Corpse organs aren’t really my style.”

“Prefer something fresher?”

“Are you offering?”

“Have at it,” Isaac laughed bitterly, waving his hand over his torso. “They’ve already been tenderized for you.” And here was the guy who didn’t let anything affect him. Derek knew that guy. He was that guy. He could write the book on it.

“I think I’ll pass. The hunt is half the fun.”

“That thing the other night, in the cemetery. Was that another werewolf? Was it planning on eating me?”

“It was a werewolf, but I don’t think he was planning on doing anything to you. He probably just wanted you out of the way.”

“Why was he like that? And why aren’t you?” Isaac asked, sitting up against the wall with his arms wrapped around his legs.

“He was an Omega. A lone wolf. Going through life trying to survive without a pack,” Derek explained.

“Where is your pack?”

“I don’t have one yet. I only just became an Alpha.”

“Well, doesn’t that make you an Omega? Is that why you’re trying so hard to turn me into a werewolf? Am I the only thing keeping you from eating dead bodies like a zombie?” Isaac asked, sounding slightly horrified.

“No. It’s more complicated than that. And zombies eat living people.”

“You should stop wasting your time with me and find someone who wants all that. Besides, you wouldn’t want to be stuck with me anyways.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Really?” Isaac scoffed, shaking his head as if the answer was obvious. “I’m worthless. I’d only drag you down.”

“Is that you talking or your father?” Derek challenged. Isaac turned his head away in embarrassment, but not before Derek could see the flush on his cheeks.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s true,” Isaac muttered.

“And who got to decide that?”

“Society as a whole? There isn’t a single person on this planet who gives a damn about me. I suppose that’s why you picked me though, right? Take someone no one will miss?”

“I chose you because I saw potential,” Derek replied. That wasn’t entirely the truth, but he still wasn’t sure himself why he’d been so drawn to this kid. Maybe it was instinct.

“Potential for what? Being a human punching bag? That’s basically all I have on my résumé, besides digging graves,” Isaac scoffed.

“Well, with that attitude, nothing will change. Ask me how I know.”

“So you’re saying if I change my ways, I can turn out like you? A guy who follows around teenagers in the middle of the night.”

“It’s not exactly a habit,” Derek protested, even though he wasn’t sure why he was defending himself to this kid.

“Or maybe I can become an Alpha? How does one rise to that ranking?” Isaac asked, staring at him pointedly.

“I killed for it,” Derek replied simply. There was no use lying about it. Derek could see a little of the bravado Isaac had built up melting away.

“Who?”

“Who what?”

“Who did you kill?”

“My uncle.”

“Is that- is it some sort of initiation thing? You have to kill a member of your family?” Isaac asked, sliding off of his bed as his breathing picked up. “Are you gonna try to make me kill my dad?”

“Isaac, calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Isaac shouted, flicking his eyes between him and the door. “I’ve been kidnapped by a murderer. How am I supposed to act?”

“If you would just shut up for a second, I can explain.”

“Explain?” Isaac hissed, before telegraphing his next move ever so slightly. Derek knew what was coming, so when Isaac made a break for the door, he intercepted him.

“Wait.”

“Hel-” Derek pressed his hand against Isaac’s mouth as he tried to yell for help. The last thing he needed was someone coming and trying to be a hero. Doing the right thing wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, which Derek was quickly realizing. Isaac bucked against him as Derek wrapped him up from behind, trying to keep him still. This couldn’t have felt good on Isaac’s bruises, but Derek just needed him to calm down for a minute.

“I had to kill my uncle to stop him from hurting other people. He’d already killed my sister and had bitten others. This isn’t some gang initiation where I make you kill someone to earn your place, especially not your own father. I know what it’s like to lose family that way and I wouldn’t force something like that on anyone,” Derek said, listening as Isaac’s harsh pants settled back into something a bit more calm. “If I let you go, will you stay quiet?” Isaac nodded his head and Derek cautiously peeled his hand away, prepared to quiet Isaac again if necessary. Isaac stretched his jaw from side to side and poked his reopened split lip with his tongue.

“Was that all true?” Isaac asked quietly, slowly turning to face him.

“It is,” Derek confirmed.

“Oh,” Isaac replied, considering his words for a moment. “I’m sorry about your sister.” Derek had to admit that he was kind of taken aback. He wasn’t sure if anyone had said that to him. He tried to play it off like her death didn’t matter, but that wasn’t true. It had been him and her against the world for the past few years, but now she was gone, just like everyone else.

“Thank you.”

“So, what now?” Isaac asked, taking a tiny step back, but away from the door.

“Now I order the pizza. Any requests?”

“No, I mean… what happens if I never change my mind about becoming a werewolf?” That was a good question that Derek had no idea the answer to. Did he take the kid out of town and dump him somewhere with a couple bucks? Did he keep him until he turned 18 and became a legal adult? Did he let him go back to his abusive father? None of those options felt right.

“I don’t know,” Derek admitted with a sigh. Time to decide wasn’t really a luxury they had in all cases, but it was better than being impulsive and making things worse. That’s what got him into this mess.

“No pineapple.”

“What?”

“On the pizza. I hate pineapple on pizza. And extra cheese.”

“Extra cheese is pushing it,” Derek scoffed. This change in attitude was abrupt, but he was going to go with it. It was better than the alternatives.

“You owe me. The least you can do is order extra cheese.”

“I’m pretty sure you have that backwards. Didn’t I save your life?” Isaac looked like he was considering Derek’s words before he just shrugged and walked over to his bed again. Derek rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone and made the call, staring pointedly at Isaac as he honored his requests. If that’s what it took to earn his trust and keep him quiet, it was a small price to pay.

He sat back on his own bed as they waited for the pizza to show up, considering what his best case scenario would be. It would still be turning Isaac and making him a part of his pack, but then he really would be stuck taking care of a teenager. Sending him back to his father, even with the means of defending himself was not an option. Either Isaac would snap and kill him or the secret would get out and put them all in danger. And the idea of turning this kid into a killer, even if that wasn’t his intention, was making him feel some sort of way. Even while Isaac was angry and terrified, he was still able to show compassion and sympathy. Derek didn’t want to be the one to take that away from him. Maybe Isaac wasn’t meant for this life after all.

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Derek made Isaac hide in the bathroom while the pizza got delivered. Isaac muttered something about feeling like a mistress being hidden from a suspicious spouse, but Derek just told him to shut up and not make any noise. At least he was relaxed enough to make a joke and didn’t look like he was about to burst into tears at any moment anymore. Although those weren’t the best kinds of jokes to tell, especially if someone happened to overhear. This would be hard enough to explain as it was.

As soon as he was gone, he called Isaac to come out and passed him a plate with two slices on it. Isaac looked at the plate suspiciously, but took it over to his bed anyway. Derek grabbed his own and was about to dig in when he realized Isaac hadn’t started eating yet.

“What now?” Derek grunted.

“How do I know you didn’t drug these?”

“Why the hell would I drug your pizza?”

“After the murder and kidnapping, it probably isn’t so far out of your purview.”

“What would I have to gain from drugging you?”

“I don’t know. I still don’t know why you chose me in the first place. There are probably a lot more people out there with more ‘potential’ than me,” Isaac pointed out. “Maybe I should trade slices.”

“If I was going to drug you, I’d just drug the whole pizza. Being a werewolf would let me burn through any effects long before you would,” Derek scoffed.

“You sure know how to make a guy feel comfortable,” Isaac huffed, shaking his head. “I guess it doesn’t really matter anyway. You’re already strong enough to control what I do.”

“Don’t say it like that. You make me sound-”

“Creepy?” Isaac finished for him, raising his eyebrows. Now he was kind of missing the crying.

“I’m not creepy.”

“Which one of us are you trying to convince?”

“Maybe the kid who is going to get extra pineapple on his next pizza?”

“Well, that threat is even scarier than the one you gave me in the cemetery.”

“I barely threatened you.”

“You basically said you’d kill me if I told anyone about you. I gotta say, not the best way to endear yourself to me.”

“Will you just eat your food already? I think the extra cheese makes up for that.”

“Your exchange rate is very flawed,” Isaac snorted, but he picked up a slice and started eating anyway. And for someone so wary of eating before, he sure wasn’t letting anything stop him now. Not even the need to breathe, at least from Derek’s point of view. Isaac had already eaten both of his slices before Derek finished his first. He noticed Isaac sneaking glances at the box, but he didn’t make a move to grab more. The kid probably wasn’t allowed to ask for more at home, among other things.

“Go ahead. It’s not going to eat itself,” Derek grunted, jerking his chin toward the rest of the pizza. Isaac hesitated another moment before finally moving over and grabbing two more slices. Derek made a note to order more food next time. He was about to grab the last two slices when he saw Isaac eyeing them as well. Derek was still kind of hungry, but some misguided part of him had him waving Isaac toward the rest of the food. Isaac shot him an appreciative smile, taking both of the slices and slapping one onto Derek’s empty plate. This kid was not starting to grow on him at all.

They finished up the food and Derek shoved all the garbage in the corner, not wanting to leave the room quite yet. He didn’t think Isaac would try to pull a runner, but he didn’t want to take that chance, for both of their sakes. They were in an okay place at the moment and Derek didn’t want to ruin that by giving Isaac a temptation that he couldn’t resist.

But now that they’d eaten, Derek didn’t know what to do. That was pretty much as far ahead as he’d planned out. All their other time had been taken up by Isaac sleeping or freaking out, but he was doing neither of those things right now. He actually looked pretty bored.

“What now?” Isaac asked, sitting cross-legged on his bed.

“I don’t know. Am I supposed to entertain you?” Derek grumbled.

“Where are the puppies and candies that kidnappers always promise?”

“Kidnappers never actually have those things.”

“And you know that from experience?” Isaac asked with a smirk.

“When are you going to stop making those jokes?” Derek sighed.

“When they stop being my only form of entertainment.”

“The TV remote is right there. Have at it,” Derek said, gesturing to the table between the beds.

“I can choose what we watch?” Isaac asked in surprise, reaching over to grab the remote.

“I don’t watch TV, so I don’t really care.”

“Oh, you’re one of those people,” Isaac chuckled, raising his eyebrows.

“What people?”

“People who prefer books over TV.”

“No, I just don’t have a TV.”

“Why not? Everyone has a TV.”

“The place I live doesn’t have electricity, so a television set isn’t really high on my priority list.”

“Why not?”

“Because a television requires power,” Derek replied, staring at him like he was an idiot.

“Duh. I mean why don’t you have electricity?” Isaac scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I figured you just motel hopped or something.”

“No, I usually stay somewhere else.”

“Somewhere without power. Why didn’t you take me there?”

“Because,” Derek grunted. Did he have duct tape? Was it too much to ask for a little quiet?

“Because?” Isaac pressed.

“Because it wasn’t a good place to take someone.”

“Someone as in a teenaged kidnapping victim?”

“Someone in your condition,” Derek said, pointedly raking his eyes across Isaac’s various injuries.

“Oh,” Isaac said quietly, furrowing his eyebrows a little as he thought about what Derek said. It wasn’t him being considerate, just practical. Being stuck with someone in the dark for days with a barely working bathroom was something he wanted to avoid. It wasn’t like he wanted to take care of the kid. “You’re strange.”

“Excuse me?” Derek huffed before he could stop himself. Isaac’s opinion of him didn’t matter, but maybe he was a bit curious. It was just the boredom.

“You try so hard to act like you don’t care, but then you do nice things. It’s confusing.”

“Well, I don’t care. That should clear things up for you.” Isaac let out a quiet chuckle, before looking at him with a sad smile.

“That I’m used to.”

*

They watched TV in mostly silence for the next few hours. For some reason, Derek couldn’t get Isaac’s last words out of his head. Did it really matter that Isaac thought Derek didn’t care about him? That was the truth, wasn’t it? He only cared enough to get him out of a bad situation. The bare minimum. So why did Derek feel guilty that all the kid seemed to know in life was no one giving a damn about him?

If they were pack, Derek would love Isaac. That feeling would just come naturally as a leader. It didn’t mean they would be friends or even like each other, but there would be an affection tied to hierarchy and survival. And it could possibly lead to something more personal, although Derek didn’t really see that happening. He’d pretty much sworn off of emotional attachments after everything. The pack would mostly be a technicality.

But if he did end up turning Isaac, he’d have to take care of him. That hadn’t really been a part of the plan. Before he knew how bad things were for him, Derek was planning on sending Isaac back home and using him when necessary. That option was gone now and Derek was feeling some sort of way thinking about Isaac comparing him at all to his father. Derek didn’t care for much different reasons than Isaac’s father didn’t care, but that probably didn’t matter much in Isaac’s eyes. It was going from one bad situation to another. Derek really thought his most complicated Beta situation he’d have to deal with was the one involving Scott McCall, but this was no easier. And he had no one else to turn to for help.

“Do you think they’re actors?” Isaac asked suddenly, snapping Derek out of his internal musings.

“Who?” Derek asked, staring at the screen in confusion. He had no idea what they were watching.

“The people on these talk shows. It seems strange to go on national television to air your dirty laundry,” Isaac replied, pointing to a woman who was crying in an oversized chair to a bald guy.

“Maybe they don’t see any other options?”

“I just can’t imagine things going well for them when they get back home. Everyone is nice and understanding in front of the cameras, but the second there aren’t witnesses, the real personality comes out.”

“Speaking from experience?”

“No, I’ve never been on TV,” Isaac replied slyly. Derek scoffed, recognizing the deflection. He wasn’t sure why Isaac would bring something like that up if he didn’t want to talk about it, but Derek wasn’t going to press. He was far from a therapist, even the hokey TV kind. “What was your dad like?”

“Excuse me?” Derek asked in surprise. Isaac was staring at him with those big, curious eyes. The bruise around one of them was somehow making it look more blue and innocent. “What does it matter?”

“I don’t know, I was just wondering,” Isaac shrugged. “You know about my dad, right? Was yours the same way?”

“No, he wasn’t,” Derek responded, feeling a bit uncomfortable. No one ever asked about his family, unless it was to gain something. Most people knew the story of the fire, so they either left the whole subject alone or whispered about the incident, thinking he couldn’t hear. But someone wondering about them as real people caught him off guard. “He was a good man. Strict, but fair. And he loved his family.”

“Is that how you’ll be as the head werewolf?”

“It’s Alpha. And actually, my mom was the Alpha of our pack, not my dad.”

“Really?” Isaac asked with a bit of astonishment in his voice.

“Really. She was very much respected as well, even when it came to people outside of our pack.”

“Sounds amazing.”

“She was,” Derek confirmed. He wondered what his mom would think if she could see what he was doing right now. Would she be proud of him for helping this kid? He’d like to think she would. She would probably scold him for being so standoffish with Isaac, but that instinct wasn’t going to go away easily.

“My mom was great too. I mean, she didn’t lead a pack of werewolves or anything, but she was a good mom. She wasn’t like my dad,” Isaac added quietly at the end. “She died a few years ago.”

“I’m sorry,” Derek said sincerely. That wasn’t a pain he wished on anybody, but it seemed rare for anyone in this town to have both of their parents. Maybe Beacon Hills was cursed and he should leave for good.

“I think losing her and then my brother was what pushed my dad over the edge. He wasn’t always like this, you know? They were the good ones and then he was left with me. I didn’t know how to help him.”

“Isaac, it was never your job. And there is never an excuse for what he’s done to you,” Derek insisted. He was the wrong person to be providing support, but Isaac seemed to need to get this off his chest. And if he became pack, these conversations might pop up more often. Derek would need to recruit more Betas for that.

“Maybe not an excuse, but an explanation. No one just decides to start doing… that, for no reason. Maybe I can figure out a way to convince him to go back to the way it used to be.”

“Isaac, I don’t think that’s how it works.”

“Why not? If I can convince him to hate me, maybe I can convince him to love me again?”

“Isaac, stop!” Derek shouted, as ill-conceived as it was. Isaac jumped a little and snapped his jaw shut, staring at him with fearful eyes. Not his best work, but at least it got Isaac to stop and listen for a minute. “Isaac, you’ve called me a creepy kidnapper more times than I can count. You’ve argued with me, tried to run away from me, and ate most of the pizza I bought for us to share. And still, I don’t hate you.”

“But-”

“And keep in mind, I don’t have to be here. I could leave at any moment and never see this town again, which would honestly be a relief. But do you know why I haven’t? You. I see something in you, even if you never agree to become a werewolf. And that’s how I know that anything your father feels is really toward himself. You can’t fix that because it was never about you in the first place, but I’m damn sure not going to let you go back and bear the brunt of it either. Your days of feeling that way in your own home are over.”

Derek was out of breath by the end of his spiel. He preferred to be the mysterious, silent type, so a speech like that was out of the ordinary for him. But the thought of Isaac sacrificing himself to his father due to a sense of misguided loyalty and hope pushed him over the edge. There was no way he was going to let Isaac go back willingly.

“Uh, I don’t- I don’t know what to say,” Isaac mumbled, tapping the remote control against his knee. Derek didn’t know what to say either. What did you say after discussing something like that? They surely weren’t going to hug.

“How about we not talk and watch something besides Dr. Phil? His mustache is making me want to go outside and hunt a rabbit,” Derek deadpanned, easing a surprised snort out of Isaac. He followed the suggestion and flipped it to some cooking show, which he quickly became engrossed in. But Derek noticed Isaac glancing at him every so often with a look of hesitant gratitude. It wasn’t like Derek said anything that great, but if Isaac appreciated it, that was fine by him. He still didn’t care that much.

Chapter 6: Chapter 6

They spent the next two days pretty much the same way as the first. Derek ordered food and they watched TV. Wash, rinse, repeat. There weren’t anymore heart to hearts or meltdowns, which was fine by Derek. The less drama, the better.

He got to a point where he felt comfortable enough to venture away from the room for a little while, so he could do some laundry in the rickety old machines a few doors down. It helped that he went while Isaac was asleep and had latched onto the sound of his barely audible snuffles. He had gotten so in tune with Isaac’s sounds that Derek knew when he was going to wake up before his own body did. It didn’t mean they were bonding though.

It felt like Christmas morning when Derek found an old deck of cards discarded next to the pop machine in front of the motel office. They finally had something else to break up the monotony of the day. Derek still wasn’t sure what their next move should be, but they were going to have to leave the motel eventually. For now, they were staying put.

Derek taught Isaac how to play poker, since that was something everyone should know how to do. He obviously had an unfair advantage, since he could listen to Isaac’s heartbeat and know if he was bluffing. Isaac was absolutely terrible regardless, but the first time Isaac won a hand, Derek couldn’t help but feel a little bit of pride. It was pretty meaningless in the long run, but it was still something.

“You sure you’ve ordered from this place before?” Isaac asked, peering into his half empty carton of chow mein. After pizza for every meal, Derek decided to switch things up with some Chinese. The options were limited in a town like Beacon Hills, especially when it came to places that would deliver.

“Not to your standard?” Derek scoffed. He’d watched the boy gnawing on dried out pizza crusts in the middle of the night. Isaac didn’t seem like the type to be picky.

“It has a smell.”

“Everything in this motel has a smell. Including you.”

“It’s not my fault I only have one change of clothes. Just one of the pitfalls of kidnapping someone,” Isaac sighed, twirling another bite of noodles around his fork and popping it into his mouth.

“Are we back to that again?”

“Did we ever leave it?” Isaac asked around his mouthful.

“Just eat your food,” Derek grumbled.

“Yes, Alpha,” Isaac smirked, diving back into his lunch. Derek definitely did not feel anything in response to being referred to as Alpha. Although it was the first time someone had, at least in that way. He could really get used to it.

Isaac took a nap after he finished eating and Derek attempted to read the lone book in the room. It could barely keep his attention and he still hadn’t made it through the first chapter. Maybe it wouldn’t be terrible if they left this motel soon. They could be in a new town where no one knew them within an hour and then they wouldn’t have to hide like this. Derek was itching to run and Isaac probably needed some fresh air after all these days.

Derek ended up giving up on the book again and playing solitaire instead, but he was still bored out of his mind. He had a slight temptation to wake Isaac up to distract himself, but thought better of it. It wasn’t like they were friends.

Isaac was currently sprawled out on his back with his limbs splayed out. It was a lot different from the boy who tried to take up the least amount of space possible, even while sleeping. Derek wasn’t the type to psychoanalyze, but maybe that meant that Isaac was more comfortable with him now. And maybe he’d be more open to accepting his offer to join the pack.

Isaac woke up after an hour and headed straight into the bathroom. Derek turned on the television for both of their sakes. Werewolf hearing could really be a bitch sometimes. The channels were transitioning from court shows to local news by this point, which didn’t help his boredom. Not enough things were happening in Beacon Hills to keep things interesting, especially since the “animal attacks” had stopped. Good thing they had extra time to devote to an upcoming city council meeting that no one cared about.

“You okay?” Derek asked casually as soon as Isaac came out of the bathroom. He was rubbing his stomach a little, but looked fine besides that.

“Monitoring my bathroom habits now?” Isaac snorted, walking over and sitting back down on his bed. “You are so weird.”

“Whatever,” Derek scoffed, clicking through more channels just to give himself something to do. The attempt was made and that was all he could do. He stared blankly at the screen as he flipped from channel to channel, aching for something interesting. Would it kill them to put some sort of movie on?

“Go back!” Isaac demanded suddenly, scooting to the end of the bed. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“Go back to what?”

“Just go back!” Isaac snapped. Derek was stunned enough to listen, flipping slowly through the channels to try to figure out what had Isaac acting like this. He knew immediately when he got to the right channel. “Oh my God.”

“If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of this young man, please contact the Sheriff’s station. We will be working out of there until this case is resolved,” a man in a suit said, addressing the camera directly. “Mr. Lahey’s father would now like to say a few words.” Isaac watched in shock as his father stepped up to the center of the screen, holding up what looked like a school photo of him.

“My son, Isaac, is a good kid. He makes decent grades, he has a part time job working with me at the cemetery, and he’s never gotten into any trouble. It’s just him and I now and him being gone these last few days has been torture. We’re all each other has,” Mr. Lahey said, pausing to swipe at the corner of his eye. “If something has happened to him, I’m not sure what I’d do.” The man from earlier stepped forward again, setting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Is there anything you’d like to say to your son, in case he’s watching?”

“Isaac, I love you. If you’re able to, please come home. And if someone is holding you against your will, we won’t stop until we find you. You will be safe at home with me again soon.” The man in the suit started rattling off phone numbers as Isaac’s dad stood solemnly with his photo in front of his chest. Derek could see Sheriff Stilinski standing off to the side in the background, but he didn’t look happy.

“That was bullshit. That was bullshit!” Isaac shouted, jumping up from his bed in anger. “How dare he go on television and pretend to give a damn about me?”

“Isaac, calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down! He hasn’t told me he loved me in years and now he’s going to say it in front of everyone for sympathy?” Isaac hissed, running his hand through his hair as he paced the length of the room. “And that crap about being safe at home with him. I haven’t been safe since Cam died.”

“You’re safe now. It doesn’t matter what he says,” Derek insisted, although this did complicate things a bit. He’d kind of assumed that Isaac’s dad wouldn’t care that his son was gone and just move on with his life. It didn’t mean he was going to boot Isaac and run, but they were going to have to stay very careful.

“This can’t be happening. He doesn’t get to do this,” Isaac panted, breathing heavily as he stood at the end of the bed. Derek could see his hands shaking from where he was sitting.

“Isaac-” Derek’s next words were interrupted by Isaac darting past him and back into the bathroom. He fell to his knees in front of the toilet and stuck his head over the bowl, heaving up all the food he’d eaten for lunch. Derek hovered in the doorway, not knowing what to do as Isaac’s body strained in response to his stomach’s revolt. He didn’t know how to take care of someone who was sick. Werewolves didn’t get sick, at least not naturally.

Derek grabbed a wad of toilet paper and tossed it in Isaac’s direction, looking away as the boy wiped the tears off his face with it. This was just the stress of seeing his father on TV and once he relaxed a little, he would be fine. There was nothing to worry about.

*

“Listen up guys. We’ve got another missing student. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Isaac Lahey, let me or another teacher know,” Coach Finstock announced as everyone was getting ready for lacrosse practice.

“Who’s Isaac Lahey?” Stiles asked in confusion as he tied his shoes.

“I don’t know,” Scott mumbled, frowning as he tried to recall why the name sounded vaguely familiar.

“He’s 14,” Danny said, testing the tightness of the strings on his lacrosse stick.

“Oh, he’s a freshman? Probably why I don’t know him,” Stiles shrugged.

“No, he’s number 14, as in his jersey number,” Danny scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“Why do you know that? Are you guys friends? I can barely remember my own number half the time.”

“I’m a goalie. Part of the gig is paying attention,” Danny replied, as if it was obvious. “And I don’t know him, besides the fact that we’ve all gone to school together for years. And that he lives across the street from Jackson.”

“Well, don’t you have all the answers,” Stiles smirked, leaning closer to him. “Can you hook me up for Harris’ next quiz?”

“You’re on your own,” Danny chuckled, leaving them to follow Jackson who was beckoning him from the door. Scott took his time, listening to hear when everyone else had left the locker room.

“You ready?” Stiles asked.

“Do you think something is happening again?” Scott whispered, glancing around the room in case someone else popped up out of nowhere. “People disappearing?”

“Peter’s gone, you know that. And Allison would’ve found out from her dad if there was something weird going on around town.”

“I guess, but I don’t know. We haven’t had a chance to talk as much recently.”

“Spending your time doing other things?” Stiles asked, wagging his eyebrows.

“Gross.”

“If you think it’s gross, you probably aren’t doing it right.”

“Stiles.”

“Although I wouldn’t know, would I?”

“We’ve just been laying low more, now that her grandpa is in town. And she’s been spending time with Lydia, to make sure she’s okay after everything.”

“That should be me,” Stiles moaned, flopping back onto the bench he was sitting on. “I’m the one who stayed at the hospital all night while she was there. And the one who led the search party.”

“At least she isn’t back with Jackson,” Scott offered, trying to make him feel better.

“For now. But they’re more off and on than a light switch. Jackson’s probably already sniffing around her again.”

“Well, that’s a problem for another time. What about Isaac?”

“Who?”

“The missing student!” Scott exclaimed, throwing his hands up. “Stiles.”

“And why is that our problem? Can’t we let the police handle it?” Stiles groaned. “Now that I think about it, that’s probably what my dad’s been so stressed out about.”

“What did he say?”

“He hasn’t said anything. He’s just been putting in more hours and only comes home to sleep.”

“What if it’s another werewolf? Has Derek said anything?” Scott asked.

“How the hell would I know? You think I just casually chat with Derek?” Stiles asked incredulously.

“I don’t know!”

“Well, I don’t. I haven’t seen him since the whole-” Stiles acted out Derek slashing Peter’s throat.

“We should find him. If there is another werewolf in town attacking people, he should know.”

“Ah yes, because he’s always so helpful,” Stiles snorted.

“Maybe this time he will be.”

“Or maybe this time it’s him who’s responsible. What if he’s murdering teenagers?”

“He’s not.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he’d start with you.”

“That tracks,” Stiles acquiesced. “Well, have fun with your little chat. Send Derek my love.”

“You’re not coming?” Scott asked in surprise.

“Nope.”

“Stiles.”

“Scott.”

“Come on.”

“No thanks.”

“Since when do you not want to be involved in the action? That’s your thing.”

“Perhaps I’m in the market for a new thing. One less likely to get me killed. You ever think of that?”

“No.”

“Ugh, you’re right. I’ll drive,” Stiles grumbled, stomping out of the locker room. Scott was relieved to have his best friend by his side. It made all the wolf stuff feel a lot easier to deal with. Hopefully this would all be a misunderstanding and Isaac would be found safe and sound soon, but what could it hurt to check?

Chapter 7: Chapter 7

“Again?” Derek groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as Isaac’s gagging started up again. He’d been in the bathroom on and off for hours now. Unfortunately for the both of them, Isaac’s issue wasn’t just a stress reaction. He was sweaty and pale and it was making his bruises stand out even worse than before.

“I told you those noodles smelled weird,” Isaac whined between heaves. Derek was standing just outside of the bathroom, feeling completely out of his depth. He was much better tending to wounds that healed in a matter of minutes. They definitely didn’t smell this bad.

“I’m fine.”

“Congratulations.”

“When is this gonna stop? Haven’t you done enough?” How did Isaac have anything left in his body? Derek wasn’t even feeding him that much.

“You know, you’re right. All better now,” Isaac huffed, rolling his eyes. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“I’ve never been sick like this. The only thing I’ve ever thrown up is blood. And some black stuff the time I’d been poisoned with wolfsbane.”

“Shut up!” Isaac moaned, tipping his head back into the toilet for another round. Maybe bringing that up was a bad idea.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Just put me out of my misery. Then you can dump my body on my dad’s doorstep. That’s the only way I’d be safe there.”

“That’s dramatic.”

“I had food poisoning about a year ago. My dad got sick of me and shoved me in the freezer. It’s not very fun shitting and puking your guts out in a box,” Isaac joked and even Derek had to cringe at the thought of it. He might insist he doesn’t care, but that was rough. “My mom used to make me soup when I was sick.”

“That’s nice.” What the hell was he supposed to say?

“I miss her,” Isaac whispered, sniffling as his eyes got watery. This time it wasn’t from the strain he was putting on his body. “I miss my mom.”

“I know you do,” Derek mumbled. He missed his as well. She would know what to do.

“He’s gonna find me, isn’t he?”

“No, he’s not going to find you,” Derek replied, even though the news story had been an unexpected hurdle. Isaac would just have to remain out of sight for a while longer. And if his dad somehow showed up and tried to take him, he’d have to go through Derek. If he could kill his uncle, this wouldn’t even be a blip.

“He will. He always does. No matter what I do, he always finds me,” Isaac panted, resting his cheek on the seat of the toilet. Derek didn’t even want to think of the other germs Isaac was getting from this motel room. If some bad food had him this wrecked, Isaac had no chance. “I never ran far enough. And I never hid well enough. I’m never going to escape him.”

“But you have. You’re here, aren’t you? No one knows where you are.”

The loud knock on the door made them both jump. Isaac’s eyes widened and he started hyperventilating, probably assuming his dad was outside. Derek put a finger to his lips, willing Isaac to stay quiet until he could figure out how screwed they were. If it was a motel worker, they could leave a note. If it was anyone else, no one was inside. If it was Isaac’s dad, Derek was going to need a shovel.

“Derek?” Scott fucking McCall. Derek groaned, knowing there was no use pretending he wasn’t there. Scott would already be able to sense him, if he deigned to pay attention to his werewolf side. Derek gave Isaac another look before closing the bathroom door and walking to the front of the room. This was going to draw too much attention to them.

“Go away, Scott,” Derek growled through the door. He could deal with whatever bullshit problem he’d found himself in. Scott had declined Derek’s offer to join his pack, so he was on his own.

“We need to talk. Something might be going on in town and we need to figure it out for sure,” Scott replied.

“Not my problem.” Derek had enough to deal with at the moment.

“But one of our classmates is missing and-” Derek pulled the door open, slapping his hand against Scott’s mouth.

“Shut up,” Derek hissed, flashing his red eyes at Scott.

“Dude, what the hell?” Stiles squeaked from beside Scott. Of course Stiles was there.

“Get out of here,” Derek demanded, trying to keep his voice low.

“But something might be going on! What if it’s another Alpha?” Scott argued as soon as he pulled away.

“It’s not.”

“How do you know? And what are you doing here?” Stiles asked curiously, trying to see around him into the room. “Do you have a girl in there?”

“No.”

“A guy?”

“Stiles.”

“I don’t judge.”

“I’m busy!” Derek growled.

“This is important!” Scott insisted. Isaac chose that exact moment to moan in discomfort. And Derek could tell Scott heard immediately. “What was that?”

“Nothing. Go home!”

“No way,” Stiles snorted. Scott tried to bulldoze his way in and while Derek was occupied with keeping him out, Stiles squeezed around them like the squirrely bastard he was.

“Stiles!”

“You’re acting suspicious!”

“Get out!”

“It came from the bathroom!” Scott called out. He was still pushing against Derek, but he couldn’t exactly gut him to get him out of the way without drawing too much attention.

“Don’t!” Derek growled, but it was too late. Stiles threw open the door, exposing Isaac who was still wrapped around the toilet.

“Ivan!”

“It’s Isaac,” Scott corrected.

“Whatever! Derek kidnapped him. Holy shit!”

“Be quiet!” Derek hissed, pulling Scott into the room and locking the door behind him. There was no use in trying to keep them out now.

“What are you doing? Are you picking up where Peter left off?” Scott accused, staring at him in horror.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hey, what’s wrong with him? He doesn’t look so good,” Stiles said, cringing as Isaac gagged into the toilet again. “Gross.”

“What did you do? And why is he here?” Scott demanded.

“Keep your voice down!”

“Hey, you recognize me? It’s Stiles, from lacrosse,” Stiles said, kneeling down next to the panting teen. “Scott’s here too. You know, Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski?”

“Stilinski? Sheriff Stilinski?” Isaac mumbled, looking blearily up at Stiles.

“Yeah. That’s my dad.” Isaac’s hand shot out, latching onto Stiles’ sleeve in a death grip.

“Please don’t say anything! He can’t know where I am!” Isaac choked out, starting to panic.

“What-”

“You can’t tell him where I am! If he finds me, he’ll kill me!” Isaac gasped, paling even further as his breath caught in his throat.

“What are you- he wouldn’t.”

“Please,” Isaac whispered, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out. Stiles caught him as he slumped forward, before his face could smack the edge of the toilet seat.

“Shit!” Stiles exclaimed, trying to move so he’d have a better hold on Isaac’s dead weight. Derek shoved Scott aside, ignoring the smells assaulting his nose as he stooped down next to Isaac. “He’s burning up.”

“I know!” Derek spat, although he hadn’t. Derek hadn’t actually touched him since all this started, figuring it was best to give Isaac space. Or maybe that was just him being a shitty person. But there was no denying now that Isaac was hot. And that was saying a lot, coming from a werewolf. They tended to hover a few degrees over what was typical for normal humans.

Derek picked up Isaac off the floor and carried him back over to his bed, laying him on top. He didn’t so much as twitch. Part of Derek was glad for the reprieve from all the throwing up, but Isaac being unconscious worried him. Was this normal? Was Derek supposed to be doing something?

“What happened? And what’s wrong with him?” Scott demanded, pointing an accusing finger in his direction. “I can’t believe you’d do something like this so soon after everything with Peter.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“So explain it to me.” Derek didn’t know what he should say. Isaac definitely wouldn’t want his private business spread around. But what kind of excuse could Derek give that didn’t make him sound like a creep or a crazy person? Maybe Isaac’s earlier jokes were a little too accurate. None of that would matter if Isaac ended up getting taken out by some bad noodles. At least now Derek had some backup, even if they were the last people he’d choose.

“It’s not important. But you’re here now, so you’re going to help me.”

Chapter 8: Chapter 8

“He needs another cool rag,” Stiles mumbled, fingering the one that was laying across Isaac’s forehead. It had only been an hour since Stiles and Scott had shown up to the motel, but things had taken a turn for the worse. Isaac wasn’t throwing up anymore, but he also wasn’t lucid, fully caught in the throes of a high fever. He honestly looked awful and it was kind of freaking Derek out. But he wasn’t going to admit that he was relieved Scott and Stiles were there.

“On it,” Scott volunteered, darting off to the bathroom to get what Isaac needed. The two of them had been working well together, while Derek stood back and watched. His lack of experience with normal human illness was really showing right now. Cuts and broken bones he could handle, but this was different.

“C-cold,” Isaac whispered through chattering teeth.

“I know pal, but your temperature is actually really high. It just feels like you’re cold,” Stiles sighed, switching the towels as soon as Scott brought the new one. Isaac started shivering even harder, letting out a low moan.

“Cold.”

“I know.”

“Should we take him to a hospital?” Scott wondered, wringing his hands at the end of the bed.

“No,” Derek growled. The second a member of the staff figured out who they were treating, it would all be over.

“We may not have a choice,” Scott argued.

“He was fine before you got here,” Derek shot back. That wasn’t entirely true, but Isaac had been awake enough to be snarky, and if you had the energy to be a dick, you were fine.

“You still haven’t even told us what he’s doing here. Or what’s going on,” Stiles reminded him.

“Does it matter?”

“Look at the optics, dude. I know you live your life in weird, but this is a whole nother level,” Stiles snorted, carefully backing away as Isaac fell into a fitful sleep. They had to take advantage of the short reprieve while they had it. “A kid goes missing and he just so happens to be with you? And for some reason he thinks my dad is going to kill him?”

“He doesn’t think your dad is going to kill him.”

“Right after Ian found out my dad was the sheriff, he said I can’t tell him where he is or he’ll kill him. What else could he have meant?”

“Dude, it’s Isaac,” Scott huffed.

“Whatever!” Stiles waved away. “Things were finally calming down in this town and you go and do this? I’m starting to think you like the chaos.”

“Isaac wasn’t talking about your father killing him.”

“Then who was he talking about?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“It becomes my business when the guy passes out in my arms!”

“No one even asked you to be here. You stuck your nose into something that didn’t concern you, again. And once Isaac is better, you’re going to leave and keep your mouths shut, or I’ll-”

“Do something violent. Right,” Stiles smirked, crossing his arms. “I should tell you to go screw yourself and call my dad anyway.”

“No, no, no,” Isaac mumbled, tossing his head from side to side on his pillow weakly.

“No one is going to call anyone,” Scott assured him, glaring at both of them. “And no one is going to hurt you.”

“Too late for that, judging by his face,” Stiles muttered, gesturing to the bruises that still colored Isaac’s skin. “Did your new pal not come quietly? Didn’t appreciate these stunning accommodations?”

“I didn’t hit him,” Derek growled.

“Well, someone did. And I don’t see anyone else around.”

“That doesn’t mean it was me!”

“Stop, please,” Isaac whimpered, trying to curl in on himself. Derek shot a scathing look at Stiles, blaming him for upsetting Isaac. Derek may have been the one who raised his voice, but he wouldn’t have if it weren’t for Stiles. If the kid would just shut up and play nursemaid, this would go a lot smoother.

“Don’t worry, he won’t hurt you anymore,” Stiles insisted, walking back to Isaac’s bedside. “We’ll protect you.” Stiles set his hand on Isaac’s leg and the boy jerked violently, letting out a pitiful whine.

“Dad, no. I’m sorry.” Stiles snatched his hand back like it had been burned. Derek grit his teeth as Stiles and Scott looked up at him, knowing the cat was out of the bag.

“Shit,” Stiles muttered, running a hand through his hair.

“Is that who did this to him?” Scott whispered, sounding horrified. It struck him how innocent Stiles and Scott still were, even after anything. Werewolf stuff was old news to them at this point, but the ugliness of the world could still surprise them. Derek couldn’t even remember what it was like to not assume the worst in people.

“The bruising, yeah,” Derek sighed, stepping closer to Isaac’s bed. The boy was shifting around restlessly, mumbling under his breath every few seconds. It was mostly nonsense, but a few pleas to not be hurt slipped through every now and then. He didn’t know what to do, but he couldn’t watch Isaac struggle like this on his own. Derek sat down on the edge of the bed, before carefully setting his hand on the back of Isaac’s neck.

“No,” Isaac moaned, trying to get away from the touch. Derek kept his hold light, but didn’t let him go, kneading his fingers in a way that he hoped felt somewhat pleasant. He was trying to remember how his mom would comfort him, but those memories were so hazy.

“Isaac, you’re safe. Your dad isn’t here,” Derek said quietly. Isaac’s breath hitched at the mention of his father. “It’s just you and me here. Derek, the creepy kidnapper.” Stiles choked on a snort across the room, but Derek ignored him.

“Derek?” Isaac groaned, forcing his bleary eyes to open.

“I guess you were right about those noodles.” Isaac just moaned in response. “You okay?”

“No.”

“Yeah, I know,” Derek sighed.

“I’m sorry,” Isaac sniffled, rubbing his face on the pillow underneath his head.

“What are you sorry about? You didn’t do anything wrong.” Derek swung his legs up onto the bed, trying to get into a more comfortable position. Being next to Isaac seemed to be doing him some good, so he’d stay for as long as he had to.

“Sick.”

“Not your fault.”

“Burden.”

“Quit that nonsense.”

“Tired.”

“So take a nap. You’re overdue.”

“Asshole,” Isaac scoffed, turning over and practically flopping onto Derek’s lap. Isaac’s cheek was pressed against his thigh and one arm was curled around his knee as if he was clutching a teddy bear. Derek was about to flip him back over, but Isaac seemed to already be asleep again. And his breaths were coming out a lot more easily than they had before. This wasn’t exactly the worst spot to be in.

“Derek-”

“Not a word,” Derek warned, glaring up at Stiles. He didn’t need any commentary right now.

“That’s fine, since we’re the ones who want the words. From you. Like, telling us what the hell is going on!” Stiles hissed. “I’m pretty sure if I ever tried to cuddle with you, you’d claw my face off.”

“True.”

“Do you know him? Is he family or something?” Scott asked.

“No.”

“Did you ‘blank’ him? Is he a ‘blank?’” Stiles wondered.

“Dude!” Scott exclaimed.

“I meant the W word! Get your mind out of the gutter,” Stiles huffed, slapping Scott on the arm.

“He knows about werewolves, but he isn’t one,” Derek grunted.

“Are you sure? Because you’re petting his head like he’s your pup,” Stiles pointed out, gesturing to Derek’s lap. He hadn’t realized he started running his fingers through Isaac’s hair to help soothe him. Derek was just trying to keep his hands busy.

“I offered him the bite and he said no.”

“But why? Who is he?” Scott asked.

“It’s a long story,” Derek sighed, finally giving up. If it would shut them up, he might as well tell them what was going on. He explained meeting Isaac in the cemetery, then following him to make sure he didn’t tell anyone about what happened. He glossed over the condition he found Isaac in, but it didn’t take a genius to fill in the blanks. Isaac and his dad lived alone and he’d gone into his house without bruises, and came out with them. “I took him out of his house and brought him here. It was going fine until he ate a batch of bad food.”

“So, what was your plan?”

“What?”

“What were you going to do with him?” Stiles clarified. “You took him out of a bad situation, which is unusually caring for you, but then what? Were you planning on just keeping a teenager?”

“I don’t know. I just-”

“I think it’s sweet,” Scott said softly. Stiles was staring at him incredulously. “I get acting without thinking, when it’s to protect someone. You did some pretty dangerous things when it came to keeping Lydia safe.”

“Because I’m like, in love with her. Are you saying Derek-”

“And you’d do it for me too,” Scott said quickly, cutting Stiles off before he could go into that particular subject. Derek didn’t need anyone to think something inappropriate was going on between him and Isaac.

“None of that matters right now anyway. He’s too sick and what we’re doing isn’t enough,” Stiles declared, rubbing his chin. “What’s his temperature?”

“How would I know? Do I look like I have a thermometer?” Derek scoffed. Like it was in the kitchen cabinet, right next to his whisk.

“I don’t know why I bothered,” Stiles sighed, rolling his eyes. “Well, you need supplies if you’re determined to keep Isaiah out of the hospital.”

“Stiles. Why is it so hard for you to remember that his name is Isaac?”

“I don’t know, man. At least I got the first letter,” Stiles shrugged.

“I know my mom has a bunch of useful stuff in her first aid kit,” Scott offered.

“And I’ve got some stuff from the last time I was sick. Pedialyte, Gatorade, crackers,” Stiles listed, looking around the room. “Some air fresheners.”

“You can’t let anyone know what you’re doing,” Derek warned, looking pointedly at Stiles. If his dad found out what he was doing, Isaac was screwed and Derek was probably going to end up in jail. Part of him wanted to scoop Isaac up the second they left and take him away, but it would probably do more harm than good in his condition. How far would they have to go to be safe from getting found out? The motel wasn’t the best, but it had worked so far. Staying put until Isaac was at least his normal color again was probably the best idea.

“What do we look like, amateurs? This is child’s play,” Stiles scoffed.

“Right,” Derek deadpanned. The whole reason Scott was the way he was now was because he and Stiles were idiots.

“We’ll be careful,” Scott promised, pulling Stiles by the arm to the door before either of them could say anything in response. Derek sighed, settling in for the long wait. He hoped Isaac would stay asleep until they came back, since he was a lot easier to deal with this way. Although he did kind of miss the mouthy teen he’d come to know. Derek didn’t want to admit that he’d bonded to the kid in a way he didn’t think he was capable of anymore. If he never saw Stiles or Scott again, he would be fine. Rejoice even, since they brought nothing but chaos. But Isaac had wormed his way into Derek’s brain from the second he spoke to him in that graveyard. There was nothing that was going to take the kid away from him. Once Isaac was better, they were going to leave Beacon Hills.

Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Stiles scoured his cupboards, grabbing anything that looked like it would be useful for someone sick. A lot of options weren’t feasible, thanks to the pathetic motel room, but anything that didn’t have to be cooked was fair game. The microwave would help, but it wasn’t enough.

He’d dropped Scott off at his house to round up whatever he had and was going to pick him up when they were done. It was better to stay separated, in case they ran into any parents. The two of them together would raise suspicion, since they were kind of known for shenanigans. Once they joined back together and did an inventory of what they gathered, they’d head back to Derek’s motel.

Stiles had to admit that what they’d found there was pretty surprising. Derek wasn’t the kind of guy who saved people. Jumping into a fight maybe, but helping people in that way was probably just a happy accident. The thirst for violence was most likely the biggest draw. But seeing him pet the head of a sick teenager, who according to Derek he barely even knew, was shocking. Stiles still wasn’t convinced that there wasn’t something else going on, but he’d leave it alone. He really didn’t want the details.

Stiles’ bag was filled with sports drinks, crackers, some of his dad’s healthy snacks that had probably been in the kitchen for a couple years past the pull date, and a couple extras for Derek. Maybe if he plied the man with sugar he would start to mellow out a little. If he even ate anything with sugar. Stiles could see him purposefully hunting down the cutest forest creatures for sustenance.

“What are you doing?”

“Gah!” Stiles shouted, almost dropping his bag as he whirled around in surprise. His dad was standing next to the table behind him, eyeing him suspiciously. “Don’t do that.”

“The only way I ever know what you’re doing is if I catch you in the act. So again, what are you doing?” his dad asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Nothing?”

“Why are you filling that bag with food? Planning on running away again?”

“Again? When did I run away before?” Stiles asked in confusion.

“You were four and highly offended that you couldn’t have ice cream for dinner.”

“Apparently bad food choices run in the family.”

“So you put all of your stuffed animals and the TV remote for some reason in a little backpack and announced you were leaving. Walked right out the front door.”

“How far did I get?”

“Didn’t even make it out of the yard. You got distracted by your mom working in the garden and made mud pies next to her for the rest of the afternoon,” his dad replied with a soft smile.

“I don’t remember that,” Stiles said wistfully. He wished he could remember every good moment he shared with his mother, but it was unrealistic. At least he had some, unlike the kid Derek had stashed in a motel.

“It was a long time ago. Feels even longer after the past few days I’ve had,” he sighed, sitting heavily in one of the dining chairs. Stiles perked up at that. Not because he was happy his dad sounded so tired, but because he was the one to bring up work. It would be easier to get information out of him if he started the conversation.

“How are things going down at the station?” Stiles asked, trying to keep his tone concerned, instead of interested. He didn’t want his dad to think he was up to something. He was, obviously, but that was beside the point.

“As good as you can expect when you have another missing kid in town,” his dad replied, running a hand down his face.

“Yeah,” Stiles grimaced. He wished he could assuage his dad’s worries and tell him the truth about what was going on, but he couldn’t. If what Derek told him was true, Stiles couldn’t be the one to put a kid back into a bad situation. “Any leads?” If his dad said something about them going door to door at local establishments, Stiles was going to have to warn Derek.

“All I’ve got is a bad feeling.”

“What do you mean?”

“I actually met Isaac a few days before he disappeared. There was a call at the cemetery where he worked. Seemed like a nice enough kid, but something was off.”

“Off how?” Stiles prodded.

“He had a bruise. Blamed it on lacrosse, but I didn’t really believe it.”

“Then where do you think he got it from?”

“Not lacrosse,” his dad replied darkly. “And with these state police guys in town taking over, there isn’t much I can do.”

“What happens if you find him?”

“If a crime has been committed, we deal with it. If one hasn’t, he goes back home,” he sighed, sounding like he knew that neither of those were good outcomes. “Do you know him? He plays lacrosse with you.”

“Playing isn’t really the term I’d use when it comes to my place on the team, but no. I’d never even heard his name before today,” Stiles scoffed.

“He’s gone to the same school as you for years, Stiles.”

“That doesn’t mean I know everyone! Scott’s been like, my only friend since before this year. Everyone else is just a background character.”

“You know, for someone who likes to be involved in things that aren’t your business, I’m surprised,” his dad huffed.

“Excuse me? I- what even? You- that’s… no,” Stiles stammered, shaking his head in denial.

“Derek Hale ring any bells?” Stiles froze. His dad didn’t know that he was still in contact with him, right? This wasn’t just some long, drawn out way to let him know that he was onto them, right? Stiles had to play this cool.

“Who’s Derek Hale?” He was such an idiot.

“Stiles.”

“That was different! I was trying to investigate a crime. If I thought someone on the lacrosse team was up to something, I might’ve noticed. You can’t compare the scenarios,” Stiles argued.

“Sure,” his dad chuckled, before tiredly pulling himself out of his seat. “I’m going to try to catch a couple hours of shut-eye before I have to get back to the station. Try not to get into any trouble. I’m too busy to deal with it right now.”

“Deal,” Stiles agreed, as if he wasn’t an accomplice to hiding a runaway. He watched as his dad shuffled out of the room, going over the information he’d gotten. Nothing he’d heard made him think that they were close to finding Derek, which was good. But the state police aspect made things tricky, since Stiles was used to his dad being the final boss when it came to legal things. He needed to get Scott and go back to Derek, so they could figure out what to do next.

Notes:

Sorry this chapter took so long and is so short, but hopefully the next chapter won't be so slow. I finally figured out how the rest of this story is going to go as I was writing this chapter, so fingers crossed. Thanks to everyone for sticking with me!

Chapter 10: Chapter 10

“Were there people here earlier or did I just imagine that?” Derek was pulled out of his doze by the sound of Isaac’s voice. It was scratchy and sounded like hell, but it was more than he’d said in a while, so it felt like progress.

“Unfortunately, it was real. But they aren’t going to talk,” Derek replied, removing his hand from Isaac’s hair. It felt too awkward now that he was awake. “How you feeling?”

“Like death,” Isaac croaked, slowly rolling himself onto his back so he wasn’t sprawled across Derek’s lap anymore. “I feel like this room smells.”

“You’re lucky you don’t have my werewolf senses,” Derek huffed. Luckily he’d gone mostly nose blind to it all by this point, but earlier it was a bit of a struggle keeping his stomach calm. Human sickness was a burden he didn’t envy.

“I’m sorry. I should clean up,” Isaac mumbled, trying to pull himself up off the bed. Derek pressed down on his shoulder with barely any strength, but it was enough to stop Isaac in his tracks.

“Don’t be an idiot. The only thing you’re going to do is lay there, until I say otherwise.”

“But-”

“No arguments,” Derek said firmly, staring down at Isaac until he admitted defeat and settled his head back down on the pillow.

“You sure you don’t have kids? Because you’ve got the parent glare down pat,” Isaac snorted, rubbing his stomach. “Although, I appreciate that you don’t follow yours up with a punch.” It was probably the illness that distracted Isaac from being embarrassed by what he said. Even when he was being flippant about his father, Derek could smell the shame wafting off of him. The simmering fever must’ve made his lips a bit more loose.

“I wouldn’t even know where to start when it comes to kids,” Derek smirked. Brother or cousin, he could handle. Maybe even uncle. But being a dad definitely wasn’t in the cards for him.

“You’re not doing so bad at it,” Isaac mumbled, closing his eyes as his current burst of energy petered off. Derek was glad that Isaac couldn’t see the mixture of emotions that he couldn’t prevent from flashing across his face. It was ridiculous to think that hearing that from someone who was barely his junior meant anything, but it did. After feeling like an absolute failure in so many ways, for so many years, it was nice to hear that he wasn’t complete shit at something. And maybe it was just the fever talking and Isaac would never say it if he was in his right mind, but Derek wouldn’t forget hearing the words.

The sound of knocking on the motel door shook him out of his inner thoughts and a growl burst out of his chest. Isaac startled awake, looking panicked. Derek thought he would’ve been scared waking up next to something more than human, but Isaac grabbed his arm as his fears were focused on whoever was on the other side of the door.

“No, you gotta use the secret knock!” Derek relaxed at the sound of Stiles’ voice.

“You talked about the secret knock with me, not Derek!” Scott hissed.

“Don’t say his name!” Stiles admonished. Derek slid off the bed and walked over to the door, needing to stop the two idiots before their bickering caught anyone’s attention. He threw the door open, scaring them both.

“Get in here and shut up,” Derek growled, moving to the side to give them room. He looked around the parking lot, checking to make sure nothing looked off.

“Oh hey, you’re awake. Good to see you again…”

“Isaac,” Scott whispered.

“Isaac,” Stiles said brightly.

“Do I know you?” Isaac asked in confusion, trying to raise up onto his elbows so he wasn’t flat on his back.

“See, it’s not just me,” Stiles laughed, bumping Scott with his shoulder.

“We’re on the lacrosse team too,” Scott informed him with a friendly smile.

“Oh.”

“And we’re friends with Derek.”

“Really?” Isaac and Stiles asked at the same time. Derek rolled his eyes, snatching one of the bags from Stiles’ hands.

“What did you bring?” Derek asked, setting the bag down on the bed and rummaging through it.

“Rude,” Stiles scoffed, placing the other bag he brought next to the microwave.

“I’ve got some medicine that’s good for fevers. And a thermometer,” Scott announced, holding up the items in triumph. “Don’t worry, it’s the ear kind.”

“What other kinds are there?” Derek asked.

“You don’t want to know,” Stiles giggled, grabbing a can from his bag and spraying it around the room.

“What the hell is that?” Derek exclaimed, immediately falling into a sneezing fit. It felt like someone was shooting fire up his nostrils.

“It’s bathroom spray. I’m trying to make this place inhabitable.”

“You’re making it worse!” Derek snarled, snatching the can away and tossing it into the corner. Stiles was lucky he didn’t knock him over the head with it.

“Isaac, are you okay?” Scott asked warily. Derek looked over toward the bed, finding a green tinged Isaac covering his mouth.

“Shit!”

“Oops,” Stiles said sheepishly. Derek rushed over, grabbing the little garbage can by the bed and shoving it under Isaac’s chin just as he started gagging. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“It’s okay,” Scott sighed. Derek wasn’t sure where he got the right to claim that, seeing as neither of them were in the splash zone.

“I’m gonna kill you, Stiles,” Derek growled, rubbing Isaac’s back as he convulsed again.

“I brought you chocolate,” Stiles said weakly.

“How nice. I heard it pairs well with puke,” Derek sneered. Isaac let out a snort of laughter, before groaning again.

“Here,” Scott said, offering a bottle of water. Isaac took it after a bit of hesitation, nodding his thanks. He tried to open it, but his hands were shaking too much for him to get a grip on the lid. Derek eased it out of his weak grasp, opening it for him without comment. He would be mortified at all of these people fussing over him, so he wasn’t going to make it into a big deal. Isaac took a tiny sip of water and swished it around his mouth before spitting it into the garbage. His next sip was even smaller, but he swallowed this time, bracing himself in case it made a reappearance. When a minute passed without issue, he sagged in relief.

“Take this,” Derek muttered, shoving the garbage at Scott. He cringed, passing it to Stiles.

“Why me?” Stiles whined, holding the can out like it was going to attack.

“It was kind of your fault, dude,” Scott shrugged. “Just take it into the bathroom and rinse it out.” Stiles glared at him, but went off to do it anyway, muttering under his breath about this being the thanks he got for helping.

“Sorry,” Isaac whispered, tipping his head back to rest against the wall.

“It’s fine,” Scott waved off, just as Stiles gagged violently in the bathroom. “Stiles?”

“I’m good!” Stiles called back, stifling another gag.

“Hold still,” Scott instructed, leaning toward Isaac with something in his hand. Isaac jerked back, knocking his head against Derek’s.

“Scott!” Derek admonished, smacking his hand away.

“Sorry! I guess I’m used to doing this at work and not having to tell the patients what I’m doing,” Scott winced, looking contrite.

“Just give it to me,” Derek grunted, snatching the thing out of his hand. “How does this work?”

“You just put it in his ear and push the button. When it beeps, you have the results,” Scott explained.

“Do we really need to do this? Does the number really matter?” Isaac mumbled, cringing away from Derek.

“I don’t know. Just sit still and let me do it,” Derek grumbled, staring him down until he complied. Maybe he did have the parent glare thing down. He stuck the end of the device in Isaac’s ear and pushed the button, glaring as the number on the display rose higher. Derek didn’t remember what an acceptable number for typical humans was from biology class, but he was pretty sure triple digits wasn’t the best. “103.2.”

“Um, okay. That’s okay. Not great, but not terrible,” Scott stammered, trying to look casual.

“Wow, thanks Dr. McCall. How much do we owe you?” Derek sneered. He didn’t see how any of that was helpful at all.

“You’re probably not in any danger of your brain cooking inside of your body, but we should probably try to lower your temp a little bit,” Stiles said, striding out of the bathroom like he hadn’t a care in the world. Like he hadn’t been holding back his own puke while cleaning Isaac’s. He tossed the garbage back beside the bed and walked over to his bag. “What flavor of Gatorade do you prefer? Yellow or blue?”

“Those aren’t flavors, those are colors,” Scott pointed out.

“Yeah, but nobody pays attention to the names. You’d have no idea what you were getting if I said mountain freeze or icy glacier,” Stiles laughed.

“I don’t know,” Isaac mumbled.

“Let’s go blue. Blue is always best,” Stiles determined with a nod. He tossed the bottle to Scott who caught it with ease. Derek felt Isaac jerk beside him, but he didn’t think anyone else noticed. They needed to cool it with the sudden movements.

“No, I mean, I’m not sure I can keep it down,” Isaac admitted, turning red in embarrassment.

“Think you could try? You really don’t want to get dehydrated and it would help your fever if you could take some medicine,” Scott said, holding out the drink and pill bottle. At least he wasn’t shoving the medicine into Isaac’s mouth and rubbing his throat like a dog.

“Get the bucket, I guess,” Isaac sighed, reluctantly accepting what Scott was handing him. “How many do I take?”

“Two, I think. How many do you usually take when you get sick?” Scott asked.

“I don’t,” Isaac muttered, struggling with the safety lid on the bottle. Derek grabbed it from him, cracking the top completely off.

“Nice one, Rambo,” Stiles snorted. “I guess they didn’t take werewolf children into account when developing those things.” Isaac’s head snapped up and he looked around at everyone in shock.

“You- are you-”

“Team human here,” Stiles said brightly, raising his hand.

“Team not so human here,” Scott said with a grimace.

“What the hell?”

“It’s a long story,” Derek sighed.

“Have you all done this before?”

“No, I can guarantee that this thing you’ve got going on with Derek is new. Derek doesn’t like anybody,” Stiles laughed.

“And you’re at the bottom of my list,” Derek growled.

“You wound me.”

“It would be really great if you could not say anything about that to anyone,” Scott winced.

“I’m really good at keeping secrets,” Isaac whispered. No one said anything to that, since they all knew what he was talking about. He choked down two pills with the smallest sip of Gatorade possible and they all stared at him, waiting to see if anything would happen. Isaac started squirming under their gazes, but Derek didn’t know what else to do. He wasn’t really a conversationalist.

“So, what was the name of the place you got these famed noodles?” Stiles asked out of the blue. “I wanna make sure I avoid it forever.”

“Dragon something. I don’t know. There aren’t a lot of options for places that deliver here.”

“I should go there to get you guys some retribution,” Stiles muttered, grinding his fist into his palm. “Make sure they know that they need to up their standards.”

“And how would you do that? Is that fist supposed to be threatening?” Derek snorted.

“Hey, I’m tough! And very strong.”

“You couldn’t win in a fight against your own reflection.”

“That’s dumb! You can’t fight a reflection. And I so could,” Stiles argued, bouncing on the balls of his feet and shadowboxing. His form was so bad that Derek couldn’t stand watching for long.

“You aren’t even balling your fists right,” Derek huffed, forcing himself up off the bed and walking over to him.

“You don’t even fight with fists, you fight with claws. How would you know?” Stiles shot back.

“Common sense?” Derek deadpanned, grabbing Stiles’ hand and moving his fingers into the proper position.

“Oh. Yeah, that feels better.”

“And you have to hold your hands higher, to defend your head.”

“Who needs to worry about defense when you’ve got these guns?” Stiles scoffed.

“If you ever find yourself in the position of having to fight, your best bet is to get your opponent down so you can run,” Derek informed him, saying it more for Isaac’s sake than Stiles’. If Stiles wanted to get a beatdown, that was his problem. But if Isaac was ever unlucky enough to be in his father’s presence again, he needed to know what to do.

“And how would I do that, Sensei?”

“You aim for the weak spots,” Derek grinned, sweeping his legs out from under him and sending him to his back in a heap.

“Dude!” Scott shouted, rushing over to help his friend up.

“I’m fine,” Stiles grumbled, patting Scott on the back once he was upright. “I’m tagging out for the next lesson though, so you’re up.”

“What?”

“This stuff might be important the next time we’re being chased around the empty school by a crazy werewolf.”

“The next time what?” Isaac asked incredulously.

“I know, right?” Stiles laughed, flopping down on the empty bed. Hearing that definitely wasn’t going to convince Isaac to say yes to the bite. “Back to the lesson.”

“I don’t remember signing up for this,” Scott whined. Derek smirked and took a swing at him, but Scott ducked out of the way. He wasn’t really the type for playing around, unless it was truly for training, but getting out some pent up energy didn’t feel like the worst idea. He’d been cooped up in this room for so long.

“Doesn’t Stiles always get you into bad situations?” Derek wondered, raising his eyebrows.

“That’s not true. Evan, don’t listen to him,” Stiles scoffed.

“Who?”

“Now I just think he’s doing it on purpose,” Scott sighed.

“We’re gonna pretend Scott is an equal opponent to me-”

“Hey!”

“And that I don’t want to fight him,” Derek continued, rolling his eyes at Scott. They both knew it wasn’t a fair fight. “My best bet is to get him down and prevent him from following after me.”

“Assuming I’m not a werewolf?”

“If I’m fighting a werewolf, I’m aiming for just this side of lethal. A human is a lot weaker. A well aimed hit is usually all you need.”

“So where should I aim? I bet you fight dirty,” Stiles smirked.

“There is no such thing as fighting dirty when you’re trying to survive. You don’t get gentleman points in the end. You do what you have to do,” Derek said firmly. He waited until Scott was paying attention to him, then took a swing at his face. He dodged it easily, but hadn’t been expecting Derek’s foot aimed at the inside of his knee. Derek stopped before he could do any real damage, but Scott still buckled a little, not prepared for the strike.

“Dude, he totally got you!” Stiles exclaimed, flapping his hands toward Scott’s legs.

“Shut up!” Scott grumbled, waving at Derek. “Let’s go again. I’m ready this time.” Derek smirked, looking forward to knocking Scott around a bit. In the name of teaching, of course.

He wasn’t sure how long it went on, but it was fully dark by the time Scott decided he was finished. Derek hadn’t even broken a sweat. Isaac had fallen asleep a while back, but Derek had seen him watching what he was doing. He hoped the boy would never have to use any of the moves, but it was better to be prepared for anything.

“We gotta go, but we’ll be back tomorrow,” Scott said, slipping his jacket back on.

“Why?” Derek asked. They had enough supplies for now.

“Because we want to,” Scott shrugged. Derek stared at him in confusion, before deciding he didn’t really care. If Scott and Stiles wanted to spend their nights in a dingy motel that smelled like puke, that was their choice. As long as they didn’t draw any unwanted attention.

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier, but my dad said there weren’t any leads,” Stiles said quietly, glancing back to where Isaac was still sleeping. “The state police guys are heading the investigation and search, but my dad is still involved.”

“Does he know why they’re here? This isn’t exactly the first time a kid has gone missing in this town, so why all the extra attention?”

“He doesn’t know,” Stiles sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe we should tell him what’s going on.”

“No,” Derek growled.

“But my dad could help! He already thinks there’s something going on between Isaac and his dad.”

“Hey, you remembered his name.”

“That is not your decision to make!” Derek snapped. Stiles may be optimistic and believe everything would work in the end, but Derek was realistic. There was always a risk and Isaac had to be the one to decide it was worth it to try. “You cannot say anything.”

“Alright!” Stiles reluctantly agreed. “But at least talk to Isaac about it. I know you haven’t had the best experience with my dad, but you know he’s a good guy. You can trust him.” Trust him to throw Derek in jail.

“Fine.”

“Can I have your number?”

“No.”

“But-”

“Goodbye Stiles,” Derek grunted, opening the door and shoving them both outside. Stiles opened his mouth to argue some more, but Derek shut the door in his face. He wanted to go to sleep so he could be done with this day. Hopefully by morning, Isaac would be feeling better and they could start talking seriously about getting out of this town, before it was too late.

Of course, nothing ever really seemed to go to plan.

*

Derek rolled out of bed, rubbing his eyes as he stumbled into the bathroom to relieve himself. It was still early, but Derek couldn’t stay asleep for some reason. Isaac had barely moved all night, finally getting the rest he needed, but Derek’s body kept waking him up. If he’d somehow gotten what Isaac was dealing with, he’d go to that restaurant himself and rip it apart.

Derek shuffled back to his bed, glancing over at Isaac’s sleeping body. The boy had rolled over onto his side, facing away from him. The room still had the smell of sickness caked into every corner, with the burn of artificial spray clinging on top. That was probably why Derek couldn’t relax. He ached to go out into the preserve to breathe in the fresh air. But he couldn’t leave Isaac.

Derek laid back down, trying to forget about all the things that were bothering him at the moment. But it wasn’t working. As horrible of an idea as it was, he took a deep breath, trying to picture his mom guiding young werewolves to a state of calm. She always made it look so simple. But then again, she wasn’t usually in a room that smelled like puke and… was that blood?

Derek shot out of the bed, practically vaulting over to the other side of the room. He flicked on the lamp, bathing the room in weak light. He didn’t like what he saw.
“Isaac? Isaac, wake up!” Derek demanded, shaking the boy’s shoulder. He had a small trickle of blood rolling out of his nose and his skin was paler than he remembered it being. What the hell was going on?

“What?” Isaac mumbled, before his head went limp against the pillow.

“Open your eyes!” Isaac mumbled some more under his breath, but wouldn’t fully wake up. “Shit!” Derek raked a hand through his hair, not knowing what to do. Isaac had been fine earlier. Still sick and miserable, but fine. This didn’t feel normal. And Derek couldn’t stop the fear of thinking he was watching this kid slowly die. He had to do something.

Derek rushed over to where his jacket was tossed in the corner, rummaging through the pockets. He didn’t want to do this and would probably regret this for the rest of his life, but he didn’t see any other options. He pulled his phone out, dialing a number that he never planned on calling.

“Hello?”

“Stiles, I need your help.”

“Derek? What- how-”

“There’s something wrong with Isaac.”

Chapter 11: Chapter 11

“How did you get my number? And why is it okay for you to have mine but not for me to have yours?”

“Stiles-”

“Well, I have yours now.”

“Stiles! Shut up and listen to me! There is something wrong with Isaac!” Derek snapped. He couldn’t deal with Stiles being Stiles right now. If he was calling him for help, it should’ve been a sign of how desperate he was.

“There was something wrong with him when I left. What is it now?”

“He’s bleeding!” Derek hissed, checking Isaac’s face to make sure nothing else was happening.

“Why is he bleeding? Did you- did you bite him?”

“No!”

“Well, I don’t know! You woke me up in the middle of the night and I’m trying to catch up!”

“He’s bleeding from his nose.”

“Does he get chronic nosebleeds? Maybe it’s normal for him.”

“I’ll ask him. Oh yeah, he won’t wake up!” Derek snarled.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Is he breathing?”

“If he wasn’t breathing, do you think I’d be focused on a nosebleed?”

“Good point.”

“Stiles.”

“I just- what is it you want me to do? Come over?”

“I need help.” Derek wasn’t used to asking anyone for anything. It was in his nature now to grit his teeth and deal with everything alone. In another time, he would’ve had so many people to turn to. Pack and family ready and waiting to step in for anything. But now, his options were limited. He had no family, no true friends, nothing. All Derek had were a couple of annoying teenagers.

“Okay,” Stiles sighed. Derek could hear the sounds of blankets being thrown back and shuffling feet. “Tell me and Dr. Google what you know.”

“You already know about the food poisoning. And now the nosebleed,” Derek muttered, walking back over to Isaac’s side. “He’s pale.”

“Not all of us can be bronze gods,” Stiles mumbled.

“Stiles.”

“Alright, I got it. Paler than usual. What else?”

“He won’t wake up,” Derek said, jostling Isaac’s shoulder again. The boy still didn’t stir, but the movement shifted his shirt and exposed some of his skin. “What the hell?”

“What? What happened?”

“He’s got bruises.”

“Okay, don’t bite my head off for this one, but wasn’t he bruised already?”

“These are new. They weren’t there before-” Derek cut off, feeling a sick feeling bubble up in his stomach.

“Before what?” Stiles pressed.

“Before I shook his shoulder.”

“Damn Derek, how hard did you shake him? Should I add possible whiplash to his symptoms too?”

“I didn’t shake him hard,” Derek growled. “But I’ll shake the bones out of your body the next time I see you.”

“So you’re saying that Isaac bruised easily?” Stiles asked, ignoring his threat. He was probably used to Derek not following through with them. He was going to have to hurt Stiles a little soon, so he wouldn’t lose that tool.

“Yes.”

“And this was recent? You didn’t wait a few hours before calling me?”

“A couple minutes at most.”

“Not good,” Stiles mumbled, typing a few things into his computer. Derek was once again mentally cursing how fragile humans were when Stiles’ hesitant voice spoke up. “Hey Derek?”

“What?”

“Promise you won’t get mad at this next question?”

“Just ask it.”

“Did you notice any blood in Isaac’s urine?”

“Stiles!”

“I’m not just asking for kicks!”

“Why would I be looking at his pee? Do you think I was in there with him?”

“I don’t know! Maybe you smelled it?”

“Stiles!”

“Who’s yelling?”

“Isaac!” Derek exclaimed, almost dropping the phone as he looked down and saw the boy blinking sluggishly. “Are you okay?”

“Hmm?”

“Ask him about his pee.”

“Isaac, look at me,” Derek demanded. Isaac tried to lift his head, but he barely made it an inch before it flopped back onto the pillow. Derek knelt down, so he was eye level with him. “You have to stay awake.”

“Derek?”

“Yeah, it’s Derek. Do you know where you are? Do you know what’s going on?”

“I think those noodles were bad.”

“Is he back to the noodles? I guess we can add disoriented to the list,” Stiles muttered.

“Isaac, you have to tell me how you feel.” Isaac just moaned and closed his eyes. “Isaac.”

“Uh, Derek? I think I might know what’s going on,” Stiles interjected quietly.

“What is it?”

“Now, take this with a grain of salt. Plugging symptoms into Google isn’t always accurate. Telling it you have a stomach ache can lead you to thinking you have some rare disease that was eradicated a century ago and-”

“Just say it!”

“We might be dealing with hemolytic uremic syndrome.”

“With what?”

“It’s a complication that can develop after an E.coli infection. It usually takes longer to show up, but I guess your friend is an overachiever.”

“I need real details, Stiles,” Derek demanded. Nothing he’d said so far was helpful.

“Look, the main thing is this can mess up his kidneys. I don’t know how long it takes for that to happen, but since this came on so quick-”

“He could already be to that point,” Derek finished for him, running a hand down his face. How could this have happened? Just a day ago they’d been watching TV and hanging out and now Isaac could be dying. All because of the lunch Derek decided to get for them. It didn’t make sense.

“I could be wrong. I- this could be way off base,” Stiles said softly. Derek wished that were true, but could he really take that chance? And what if it ended up being something worse. There were only three options that he could see right now and he didn’t like any of them.

Derek could keep Isaac where he was and keep trying to nurse him back to health. This could still just be a really bad bout of food poisoning, solved by bed rest and Stiles’ stupid Gatorade. Tending to a sick teenager wasn’t what Derek signed up for, but he would do it if he had to. But would it be enough?

The second option was to bite Isaac. A werewolf wouldn’t be dealing with this. It would take care of any ailment Isaac had. But would his body even be strong enough to accept it? And could he really force that onto someone without their consent? Scott had kind of gotten over being thrust into this life, but he’d never had the option. Isaac had been asked and refused. Would the kid ever forgive him if he took away his choice? Would they ever be able to coexist in a pack?

The third option was the worst. It was the last thing Derek ever wanted to do. But with the way things were looking, it was the most realistic choice. Isaac dying couldn’t happen. Derek wasn’t going to be another person to hurt him. But he knew once he made this decision, Isaac would never forgive him.

“I need you to come pick him up.”

“What? Derek-”

“I need you to take Isaac to the hospital.”

“You know what’s going to happen if I take him there.”

“I know! But I can’t let him stay here and get sicker!” Derek snapped. He didn’t need Stiles pointing out how shitty the situation was. Derek knew perfectly well that he was putting Isaac right back into the danger he’d tried to save him from. “Just take him, then get your dad to hear his story and do whatever needs to be done.”

“It’s not that easy. And what am I supposed to say when I drive up with a missing kid in my jeep? That I found him on the side of the road?”

“Yes.”

“Derek, be real.”

“I am! Now, are you gonna do this or not?” He needed Stiles to agree before he decided to bite Isaac, throw him in the back of his car, then drive until he hit the opposite coast. That’s what he should’ve done already, but he’d waited too long. It was too late.

“Fine! I’m on my way.” Derek hung up before Stiles could say more. The longer they talked, the more likely it was that Stiles would say something to make him change his mind. But there wasn’t anything else they could do.

“Isaac, come on. You gotta get up. You gotta go,” Derek said, shaking Isaac as gently as he could. He didn’t want to leave another bruise on him. “Isaac!”

“Stop it,” Isaac mumbled, batting weakly at Derek’s hand. Derek took the opportunity to sit Isaac up, making sure he was secure against the pillows and didn’t flop back down. “What?”

“You can’t stay here anymore. You’re too sick,” Derek said firmly, looking around the room to see if there was anything else of Isaac’s there. He knew there wasn’t, since he didn’t have more than the clothes on his back, but he couldn’t stand looking at the confused look on the kid’s face.

“What?” Isaac asked, sounding more lucid than he had in a while. Of course he couldn’t stay out of it for a little while longer to spare Derek some guilt. “Derek?”

“You have to go.”

“Where are we going?”

“We aren’t going anywhere. You are going to the hospital.” Derek knew he sounded like an uncaring asshole, but he couldn’t let Isaac see how he really felt. It was hard enough already.

“What? Derek, I can’t!”

“I can’t take care of you anymore!” Derek snapped. Isaac flinched away from him in a way he hadn’t since the very beginning. Derek felt sick to his stomach, but this had to be done.

“I don’t get it. What did I do?” Isaac asked, blinking rapidly as his eyes filled with tears. Derek wanted to tell him he was already dehydrated and couldn’t afford to cry, but he didn’t. That sounded too harsh, even for him.

“This isn’t working out like I thought it would. It’ll be better for both of us if we go our separate ways,” Derek said flatly.

“Derek, please!” Isaac implored, fully sobbing. Isaac reached for his hand, but Derek pulled away. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to get sick!”

“Isaac,” Derek sighed, staring down at the bedspread. “It’s not your fault.”

“You can bite me. You can do whatever you want. Please don’t send me back!” Isaac cried, holding out his wrist. Derek was tempted. But he would just be taking advantage of Isaac’s desperation. He couldn’t let him make a life changing decision in his condition. The sound of Stiles’ jeep pulling up cut off any other thoughts of that.

“Come on. Time to go,” Derek declared, pulling Isaac off the bed and hoisting him to his feet. The boy started to struggle, but he was no match for Derek’s strength on his best day. “Stiles is going to take you.”

“Derek, please don’t!” Isaac whimpered, trying to pull away.

“You’re going to tell them that Stiles found you wandering on the side of the road.”

“I can’t go back.”

“You’ll have to make something up for the days you were with me.”

“Derek.”

“You can tell them I kidnapped you if you want, but you have to leave Scott and Stiles out of it. They don’t deserve to be dragged down with me.”

“Derek, he’s gonna kill me!”

“If you stick with Scott and Stiles, you’ll be fine.” He opened the door to the motel, finding Stiles parked right in front with the passenger’s door already open. Isaac tried even harder to get away, but his movements were getting more sluggish.

“Really Derek? What the hell?” Stiles hissed. Isaac wrapped his arms around Derek’s neck, clinging onto him desperately.

“Please don’t do this!” Isaac begged, pressing his face into his shoulder. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

“I want you to go,” Derek said evenly, peeling Isaac away from him carefully. He couldn’t even describe the look of betrayal on the boy’s face. Derek lifted Isaac into the jeep and buckled him in, making sure he was secure.

“You told me I’d never have to go back. You promised me,” Isaac whispered, sounding completely defeated. Derek wanted to tell him that he never should have believed him. Derek couldn’t protect anyone, just ask his dead family. Isaac would be better off without him.

“Take care of yourself,” Derek mumbled, shutting the car door. He saw Stiles give him a scathing glare before he pulled away, driving Isaac out of his life for good. Derek watched until the jeep turned out of sight, then listened until he couldn’t hear the engine anymore. This was the right decision.

Derek walked back into the motel room. At least he wouldn’t have to stay in this tiny room anymore. He looked around at the small space. The TV they watched terrible talk shows on. The lumpy beds they could barely get a good night’s sleep on. The deck of cards they played countless games with to pass the time. He was happy he’d never have to see any of it again. Derek didn’t care.

The sound of the television smashing against the wall was satisfying. Derek stomped on the remains as he moved to the next part of the room, putting his fist through the microwave. The metal cutting into his skin just fueled him. He went around like a tornado, destroying everything in his path. The lamps were shattered, the bedspreads were shredded, and the walls had holes in them. Derek had to ruin something, since he’d just ruined Isaac’s life.

Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Stiles wasn’t sure how he got into situations like these. Well, he kind of knew, but it was still always a surprise when he did. It was just in his nature to be curious and he happened to live in a town with a lot going on. Some of it interesting, some of it exciting, and some of it bad. This was definitely in the bad category.

Stiles tried talking to Isaac on the drive to the hospital, but the guy had fallen into a panic attack and hyperventilated until he passed out. That hadn’t helped Stiles’ nerves and he almost drove off the side of the road before regaining control of the car. Being woken up in the middle of the night to drive a person the police were searching for wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

Isaac still wasn’t awake when he finally pulled up to the hospital, so he parked in front of the doors and ran inside, hoping to see a familiar face. Luck was for once on his side. Scott’s mom was standing at the desk just inside the emergency room, filling out some paperwork. He had a feeling she was about to inherit a lot more.

“Hey Melissa,” Stiles greeted as calmly as he could.

“Stiles! What are you doing here?” Melissa exclaimed, grabbing him by the shoulders and looking him over. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, but-”

“Scott? Your dad?”

“They are fine. They don’t even know I’m here,” Stiles assured her. He was definitely gonna get an earful from both of them, for wildly different reasons. “But I kind of picked someone up on the side of the road.”

“Excuse me? Stiles, do you have any idea what time it is?” Melissa asked incredulously.

“Unfortunately.” At least he didn’t have to go to school in a few hours.

“And you thought it was a good idea to let random people into your car? That it was safe?”

“He’s not exactly random. He goes to my school,” Stiles mumbled. Should he have risked driving to the hospital just a bit out of town? Would they have known that people were looking for Isaac? With the state police sniffing around, probably. And that would’ve looked even more suspicious for Stiles.

“Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?” Melissa asked.

“Is there a reward for finding missing people? I may have a knack for it,” Stiles joked. Melissa didn’t respond, rushing past him and yelling for assistance as she went outside. Stiles hung back for a few seconds so he wouldn’t be trampled by the stampede, then slid out the doors to watch them work.

Everyone was huddled around his jeep, calling out information to one another. Stiles stood on his toes to try to catch a glimpse of Isaac, but all the bodies were in the way. He wasn’t even sure if he was awake or not, until he heard a panicked cry. Stiles shoved his way through the horde, needing to get back to the boy who’d been entrusted into his care. It was kind of ridiculous that he felt such a responsibility for someone his own age, but the guy was pretty vulnerable at the moment. Until he could advocate for himself, Stiles would do it.

“Isaac, it’s okay!” Stiles said as soon as he was by his side. They’d gotten him on a gurney, but it looked like he’d started fighting when they tried to strap him down on it. That probably hadn’t been the most pleasant way to wake up. “You’re at the hospital. They aren’t gonna hurt you.”

“No,” Isaac moaned, still trying to get up. He was strapped at the waist, but everything else was free.

“You don’t really need to tie him down, right? I mean, you’re only wheeling him inside, not taking him for a ride in the ambulance. He’s not gonna roll off like a baby in a crib,” Stiles said to the staff, hoping they would take pity on the guy and chill out.

“Stiles, it’s for his safety,” Melissa insisted, trying to pull him out of the way. Stiles grabbed onto the bar of the stretcher, holding on as tight as possible.

“I’m fine where I am. And I’ll make sure he doesn’t fall,” Stiles argued. They got into a staring contest for a few seconds before Melissa blew out a frustrated breath and signaled for everyone to start moving toward the entrance.

“When we get him into a room, you’re out,” Melissa said firmly, trotting alongside the gurney as they pushed Isaac inside.

“See that? I got your back,” Stiles bragged, trying to break the tension. It didn’t work. Isaac was still groaning and trying to escape, but his movements were too weak to make any difference. Stiles tried hard to recall any time he’d seen the guy on the lacrosse field, to try to get an idea of what his strength was usually like, but he drew a complete blank. Isaac was tall and had a decent amount of muscle, but right now he was as weak as a kitten. And if Derek was right about how his home life was, this was not the position Isaac wanted to be in when he saw his father again.

“I’m seeing a lot of bruising here. Some of it old, some more recent,” one of the staff called out.

“How long has he been missing?”

“Less than a week.”

“Fever is through the roof.”

“We need to cool him down, now.”

“This is when you leave, Stiles,” Melissa said, nudging him toward the door. Stiles tried to grab hold of Isaac one last time, but Melissa blocked his way. He really didn’t want to leave him, but he couldn’t get in the way of them making him better. And Stiles had a call to make.

“Check his kidneys.”

“Excuse me?” Melissa asked, looking at him in suspicion.

“I had a project recently in school and had to read about kidney function and disorders and Isaac just so happens to be displaying some concerning symptoms,” Stiles stammered, hoping he wasn’t being too obvious. But he couldn’t not say anything and risk Isaac getting worse. “Just call it classmate intuition.”

“We’re going to be giving him a very thorough exam, but I’ll make a note to check his kidneys,” Melissa agreed, pointing toward the door. Stiles stood on his toes to get one last look at Isaac, finding him silently crying as everyone moved around him. It made Stiles feel sick to his stomach.

“You’ll take care of him, right?” Stiles asked. Melissa was practically family and he trusted her completely, but the others, not so much. And Derek would kill him if anything happened to Isaac that he could’ve prevented. That wasn’t really fair, since this was all Derek’s fault, but it was true.

“He’s in good hands,” Melissa assured him, pushing him the last bit out of the door. Stiles groaned, but admitted defeat. He took his phone out as he walked back to his car, needing to park it in a real spot before it got towed. It wouldn’t be helpful, especially if he got another call to transport stolen goods. That probably wasn’t the nicest way to refer to Isaac, but Stiles needed a little humor to deal with the stressful day. Stiles dialed his dad’s number as soon as he was parked again, wanting to give the good guys the biggest advantage possible.

“Stiles, why are you calling me in the middle of the night from your bedroom?” his dad’s groggy voice asked through the phone.

“Well, I’m not exactly in my room at the moment,” Stiles replied hesitantly.

“And where are you?”

“At the hospital,” Stiles mumbled. He heard his dad’s sharp intake of breath and knew panicked yelling would not be far behind, so he started talking again quickly. “I’m fine! I’m not a patient, I’m just in the parking lot!”

“Then why are you at the hospital, Stiles?” his dad demanded. Stiles probably should’ve taken a few minutes to come up with a good story, but he had been a bit preoccupied before. He was just going to have to wing it.

“I couldn’t sleep. I tried reading, surfing the web, doing homework, but nothing worked. So I decided to take a drive, so my restlessness wouldn’t disturb you. And as I was driving, I kind of picked someone up,” Stiles explained, hoping it didn’t sound like complete bullshit. He’d stick to it no matter what though.

“You did what!” his father shouted, causing Stiles to cringe away from the phone. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I saw someone who needed help.”

“Stiles!”

“It was the kid you’re looking for!” Stiles said loudly, hoping to stave off the lecture his dad probably had ready to go. It wouldn’t work anyway. “I found Isaac.”

“Stiles, is this a joke?” he asked seriously.

“Curly hair, freakishly tall. Would kind of be a weird thing to joke about.”

“I have to call this in.”

“Wait!” Stiles said quickly, chewing on his lip. “I think you should handle this yourself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“This is your town, right? So you should be handling stuff like this.”

“Stiles, there is a chain of command that has to be followed.”

“But if you take care of this, you’ll prove that you didn’t need those guys at all,” Stiles argued. He couldn’t say what he really wanted, about his dad getting to Isaac before Isaac’s dad could. That was Isaac’s story to tell and he didn’t have enough proof or details to tell it. And if he gave too much away, they would know this wasn’t just Stiles happening upon the guy randomly. Derek was kind of a dick, but he didn’t want him to get in trouble. “You know, maybe I didn’t find the right kid. This could be someone completely different. You should probably come and make sure, just in case.”

“I know I’m not getting the whole story from you, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to make a concrete ID before calling this in,” his dad sighed. Stiles breathed out his own sigh of relief. All Isaac had to do was tell him the truth about his home life, then things would be okay. “Either stay there or come straight home. No more driving around and picking up people you don’t know.”

“I’ll be here,” Stiles assured him. He probably wasn’t going to be let into Isaac’s room while everything was happening, but he wanted to be close by. It would be easier for him to keep up with everything that was happening if he stayed. And Stiles really wanted this to have a good outcome. Isaac definitely deserved it and Derek kind of did too. If this really had been about Derek trying to help, maybe it was proof that they were all going to get along better going forward. They all could use less stress these days. And maybe something would finally go right for once.

Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Isaac didn’t think he’d ever felt so exhausted in his life. And it wasn’t just from the illness his body was battling. He was emotionally wrecked. After years of only knowing pain and fear, something had finally changed and given him hope. Derek had convinced him that things would be different. And as much as he fought against that idea at first, he’d truly started to believe it. Isaac was such an idiot.

His father had his good moments too. A few week stretches where he drank less and cared more. Where every sentence that came out of his mouth lacked the bite it usually had. When he made promises to Isaac that he would be better and they would get back to being the family they used to be. But then something would happen that would shatter the illusion and things would go back to the way they were before. And that’s when it would hurt the most. The sharp sting of disappointment would take the place of the dull constant ache of resignation that was there before it.

Isaac knew that Derek had been too good to be true. People like him didn’t get saved. But Derek came in out of nowhere with talks of being strong and being pack and Isaac had always wanted that so badly. Maybe not the pack part, since he didn’t even know there was such a thing before Derek, but having a place where he belonged. Where he would be safe. Yet when Isaac was at his most vulnerable, Derek ripped it all away from him.

Isaac cursed himself for being so weak and stupid. If he’d just agreed to take the bite from Derek, none of this would’ve happened. His body would’ve been strong and he wouldn’t have fallen ill. But he just had to be stubborn. His father had pressed into him for years that that was one of his worst traits, and it was true. He was too stubborn to learn his lessons the first time and kept incurring his father’s wrath. And he was too stubborn to accept the gift that Derek was willing to give him and say yes. Isaac being alone in a hospital and about to go back into the hell he thought he’d escaped was his own fault.

A nurse stepped into his room and Isaac quickly closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He didn’t want to talk or find out exactly what was wrong with him. It was something serious, since he was hooked up to a bunch of machines and IVs. This was definitely the sickest he’d ever been. Besides some broken bones and stitches, he was healthy. If this was going to be a new trend for him, he was never going to make it at home.

“I know you’re awake,” the nurse said casually, moving around his bed. Isaac still wasn’t willing to give up the act, but when a cold hand touched his wrist, he couldn’t suppress his surprised jerk. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Just checking you over.”

“I’m sorry,” Isaac mumbled, because apologizing was the default when it came to people in positions of power. He kept his eyes down as she kept working around him.

“No need to apologize. Heaven knows my son is a pro at pretending to be asleep when he wants to get out of doing things,” the nurse chuckled, standing in front of him as she jotted down a note. The movement jiggled her ID badge and he couldn’t help noticing the name printed on it.

“McCall? As in Scott McCall?” Isaac asked quietly.

“You know my son?” Nurse McCall asked, sounding a bit surprised.

“Only from lacrosse,” Isaac mumbled, remembering Derek’s warning to keep him and Stiles out of his drama.

“Do you know Stiles as well? He’s the one who brought you in.”

“Lacrosse,” Isaac said again. If he said more, it might contradict any story they cooked up while he was out of it.

“Well, he was lucky to find you. What were you doing out there?” Nurse McCall wondered, setting her clipboard back at the end of the bed. Isaac pressed his lips together, unable to answer. Naturally the next question would be about where he had been before that and Isaac honestly had no idea what to say. Saying nothing felt safest. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be bothering you about that. It’s not my job.”

“Um, am I dying?” Isaac asked hesitantly. If he was, then he could just spill the beans. What else did he have to lose?

“Oh sweetie, of course not!” Nurse McCall insisted, looking horrified that he’d even asked that. “The doctor will be by soon to go into detail about everything, but you’re going to be fine. Your kidneys just needed a little extra help and you’re on the tail end of some really bad food poisoning, but it’s nothing that a day or two here can’t fix.” Isaac nodded in understanding. He wasn’t sure whether or not to be relieved. He didn’t want to die, but an illness that kept him in the hospital until after his 18th birthday didn’t sound so bad.

“May I come in?” a new voice asked from the doorway. Isaac froze at the sight of Sheriff Stilinski. He wasn’t ready for this. He wasn’t ready to be questioned by someone official. Someone who had the power to upend his life forever.

“Isaac, calm down,” Nurse McCall soothed, reaching over to rub his arm. Isaac jumped at the touch, turning wide eyes toward her. “You need to slow down your breathing, okay? Can you do that for me?” Isaac hadn’t even realized he wasn’t breathing right, until he forced himself to pause and take note of his surroundings. The machines around him were starting to go wild. He needed to get a hold of himself before it alerted other staff and his room filled with strangers.

“Sorry,” Isaac whispered, trying to take measured breaths. His heart was still slamming in his chest, but he couldn’t control that.

“I just wanted to ask you some questions. You aren’t in any trouble,” the sheriff assured him. Isaac knew that his trouble was only starting. Sheriff Stilinski cautiously entered the room, pasting a non threatening smile on his face. “Do you remember we met? About a week ago?”

“Yes,” Isaac mumbled. He may have been sick, but his brain was working just fine. It seemed like treating Isaac like a scared child was the sheriff’s plan. He’d probably earned that, thanks to his freakout when he was brought to the hospital.

“Good. It’s good to see you again. A lot of people were worried about you.” Isaac cut his eyes away at that statement. No one gave a damn about him. This town just liked the drama. Did anyone care when he came to school with bruises? Or when he didn’t show up at all for days at a time? Did anyone even realize he was missing until the news report? Sheriff Stilinski had been the only one to question the marks on his face in years, but that was all it was. A question, then nothing. Even if Isaac lied, it was for his own safety. He couldn’t say anything with his father there.

But Sheriff Stilinski was in his room right now. Maybe that meant this was finally Isaac’s chance to talk. His chance to tell his whole truth to someone and put his faith in them. Stiles seemed to trust his dad, which wasn’t something Isaac was particularly used to, but Scott and Derek hadn’t said anything against him either. The closest Isaac had come to trusting an adult in a long time had been Derek, but that blew up in his face. Was it worth the risk to give it one more shot? The alternative was to accept his fate and end up back in the house with his father. Could things really get any worse?

“Can we talk?” Isaac asked timidly, keeping his eyes locked on the blanket covering his legs. He heard Nurse McCall quietly excusing herself, assuring that she was just a button press away as she left the room. Sheriff Stilinski came closer, sitting down in the visitor’s chair next to the bed.

“You can tell me anything you want. And I promise I’ll do everything in my power to help you,” Sheriff Stilinski said firmly. Isaac brushed a hand under his eyes, feeling embarrassed at the thought of crying. He’d always been terrible about keeping his emotions in check. “What is it you want to say?”

“I-”

“Isaac!”

Isaac felt all the blood drain from his face at the sound of his father’s voice. It seemed like all the air was gone from the room and Isaac could barely draw in a breath. His dad couldn’t be here right now. Isaac was finally about to ask for help. He was finally going to have a chance to get free from the constant fear and pain.

“Isaac, calm down.”

This couldn’t be happening again. No matter what Isaac tried, he was never going to escape his father. Derek should’ve let him die in the motel bed.

“Melissa, we need help in here!”

Isaac couldn’t handle this. He couldn’t stand the thought of tense dinners and not knowing what he was going to encounter when he woke up in the morning. The long walks home from school when every part of his body told him to turn and run the other way, but he had nothing and nowhere to go. The freezer.

“Everyone out!”

Isaac felt hands on him and he screamed, clasping his eyes shut as he fought against the touch. He just kept screaming and screaming, because if he made enough noise, someone would have to realize where he was. No one ever heard him before, but they had to now. He couldn’t be in the freezer again. He couldn’t.

“We need to sedate him.”

Isaac felt a needle slide into his skin, but he didn’t care. Nothing mattered anymore. He wasn’t in control of his future or even his body. He was at the mercy of whoever decided they wanted it. From his dad, to Derek, to the doctors at the hospital. What was the point of fighting? Isaac gave in to the pull of the drug in his system, letting himself slump on the hospital bed. He was giving up.

Chapter 14: Chapter 14

It felt wrong going to school on Monday morning like nothing happened. After his dad had gone into the hospital, Stiles had hope that it would be the start of things changing for the better. But when his dad came out only a few minutes later, that hope was dashed. He hadn’t looked pleased, and when Stiles finally got the full story, he knew why.

Before Isaac could even speak, the lead investigator from the state police and Isaac’s dad had come into the room, making him clam up. And that was putting it lightly. Isaac had panicked so much that he had to be sedated, before he did any damage to himself. Everyone had been pushed out of the room and Stiles’ dad hadn’t been allowed back since. He wasn’t in any trouble, much to Stiles’ relief, but he wasn’t allowed to lead the investigation. If there even was going to be one. Isaac had been found, but Stiles had no idea what he was planning on saying to the authorities.

Derek had been MIA since Stiles picked up Isaac from the motel. He tried calling and texting, taking advantage of the fact he had Derek’s number now, but everything had gone unanswered. Stiles even tried swinging by the motel room, but it had been abandoned. And by the peek he got through the curtains of the front window, it hadn’t been left in the best condition. Stiles wasn’t sure where else to look for the guy and Scott didn’t seem too eager to try tracking him again.

When Scott had heard what went down with Derek and Isaac, he hadn’t been pleased. Scott was always the sensitive one, wanting everyone to do what was right. And what Derek did was almost unforgivable in his eyes. Stiles could understand, now that a little more time had passed. It felt callous in the moment, but Scott hadn’t heard how Derek sounded on the phone. He’d been scared for Isaac and did what he thought was best. Disappearing afterward was a shitty move, but Stiles wouldn’t be surprised if he was lurking in the shadows, watching everything going on.

“Has your dad mentioned anything about Isaac?” Scott asked, slamming his locker closed with a little more force than necessary.

“No, nothing,” Stiles sighed. “Your mom?”

“No,” Scott groaned, hanging his head. “Confidentiality, or whatever.”

“Lame.”

“Maybe we should just go over there after school and see if we can visit him? I mean, he can have visitors, right?” Scott suggested. Stiles stared at the doors that led out of the school, wondering if they could get away with skipping. They’d done it for less important reasons before. “Or we can sneak into his room?”

“Actually, we won’t need to,” Stiles mumbled in surprise, pointing toward the exit. He hadn’t known him long, but he’d recognize those slump shoulders and curly hair anywhere now. “Isaac?”

“Isaac!” Scott yelled down the hall. All their other classmates got quiet, staring at where he was pointing. Isaac’s head popped up and he looked like a deer in headlights, before scurrying away out of sight. “What’s he doing here? We need to go talk to him.” Stiles was about to agree and start the chase, but the bell for first period cut him off before he could.

“We can find him later. Do you have any classes with him?” Stiles asked, thinking over his own schedule.

“I don’t know,” Scott replied guiltily. It wasn’t their fault that Isaac was so good about staying under the radar, but it didn’t help them feel better about themselves right now.

“I’m sure we’ll bump into him eventually. Or we’ll corner him at lacrosse,” Stiles declared, patting Scott on the shoulder before they parted ways. Once Isaac settled back into school, things would calm down. They were sort of friends now, so Isaac would probably want to talk to them too.

*

Isaac did not want to talk to them. In fact, he was doing all he could to avoid them. They either didn’t share any classes before lunch or Isaac didn’t go to them, since Stiles hadn’t even caught a glimpse of a curl all morning. And when Stiles met up with Scott, he said the same thing. Isaac was very good at being evasive.

It went the same way during lunch and afternoon classes. Wherever they were, Isaac was somewhere else. They needed him around the next time they had to be sneaky, since Isaac was so good at it. Scott tried sniffing him out, but according to him, the whole school smelled like sweaty teens and it was hard to single any one scent out.

Their luck finally changed when it was time for lacrosse practice. Isaac looked to be trying to make a quick escape by giving Finstock a note to get himself out of practice, but the chatty man wasn’t letting him get away that easily. Stiles could hear him giving Isaac some sort of speech about being more careful and not making decisions that could jeopardize his future in lacrosse, as if any of them were aiming to go pro. As soon as Coach felt like he’d gotten his point across and let Isaac go, Stiles sprang into action.

“You are a hard man to get to,” Stiles said, popping out from around a row of lockers. Isaac jumped in surprise, stumbling back as he grabbed his chest. “Whoa, didn’t mean to give you a heart attack. I just want to talk.”

“I can’t talk,” Isaac mumbled, turning on his heel and breaking out into just under a jog to get to the exit behind him.

“But you just did. Those were words!” Stiles called after him, following at a polite distance. He didn’t want the guy to feel too crowded. Isaac scurried out toward the parking lot, trying to make his escape once again. But Stiles had been expecting it. This might’ve been a dick move, but he was desperate.

“Hey Isaac!” Scott greeted brightly, blocking Isaac’s way out. The taller boy froze, wrapping his arms around his body as if to protect himself.

“I didn’t say anything to anyone, I swear,” Isaac whispered, keeping his eyes locked on Scott. “You don’t need to do this.”

“Do what? We just want to make sure you’re okay,” Scott replied in confusion.

“I won’t tell anyone your secret. Just please let me go.”

“Dude, you think we want to talk to threaten you?” Stiles asked incredulously. “We just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine. Everything is fine,” Isaac insisted quietly, flicking his eyes between both of them now. “Thank you for what you did before to help me, but you don’t have to worry about me anymore. I’m good.”

“No offense, but I don’t believe you,” Stiles said bluntly.

“Stiles!” Scott groaned.

“Should he even be out of the hospital yet?” Stiles argued.

“He is right here,” Isaac reminded him, looking more frustrated than nervous now. “And they released me last night.”

“A bit premature, if you ask me. I saw how you looked when you went in and it wasn’t good,” Stiles pointed out. “In fact, you still look awful.” Stiles couldn’t remember how Isaac looked when he was healthy, but he was sporting some massive eye bags at the moment. And his skin was a sickly pale color. It was better than the version he saw in the motel room, but not by much.

“I’m fine,” Isaac protested weakly, losing the battle to be stubborn by the second.

“Are you really?” Stiles pressed. Isaac sighed, rubbing his palms into his eyes. “You can talk to us. We’re good at keeping secrets and dealing with complicated things.”

“Am I a complicated thing?”

“Kind of. But I think if you talk to us, it might become a little less complicated.”

“Talking. Everyone always wants people to talk, but do they listen? They hear what they want to hear,” Isaac said bitterly.

“We’re listening. Anything you want to tell us,” Stiles insisted.

“I was gonna tell your dad, you know? I was laying in that hospital bed and I thought, why not? Things couldn’t get worse and it might be my only chance,” Isaac admitted, wringing his hands together.

“Why didn’t you?” Scott asked. Isaac smiled sadly at him and shrugged.

“I missed my chance.”

*

Waking up from the drug-induced nap was like waking up into a nightmare. The sheriff was gone and a stranger had taken his place. The man Isaac had seen on the TV in the motel room. The man who had burst in with his father in tow, dashing any hopes that Isaac had of never seeing him again. The man who was going to send him back to hell.

“It’s good to finally meet you properly, Isaac,” he said, nodding politely. “I feel like I already know you though. My name is Detective Hoffman.” Isaac wasn’t sure if he was supposed to respond to that, so he didn’t. He didn’t have anything to say to this guy. Anyone connected to his dad was unsafe.

“I know you’ve had a rough couple of days, but I was hoping we could talk. You seem like a mature kid who can handle tough conversations. Practically a man,” Detective Hoffman said. Isaac didn’t know where he was going with that, but he had a bad feeling. He wondered if he could get away with hitting the nurse call button. “Do you know that I knew your brother?”

“What?” Isaac mumbled in surprise before he could stop himself.

“I met him right before he deployed with my son, Michael. I met your dad then too. And I saw him again when the government sent back their remains.”

“I’m sorry,” Isaac whispered.

“Losing a child changes a person. And you can’t understand unless you’re in that position yourself.” Isaac wanted to ask if that justified locking the child you had left in a freezer. If hurting the people who depended on you made the pain go away. But Isaac knew he didn’t have an ally here. “People make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t forgive them. I’m sure you’ve made mistakes as well. Like this disappearing act. You wouldn’t want to get in trouble, would you?”

Isaac looked away, wishing he could disappear. Wishing that Derek had followed through on his promise and taken him away for good. That his dad was only a distant memory at this point, instead of the future he couldn’t escape. But wishes didn’t come true for him.

“I have a way to give everyone a clean slate. Go back to the way things were. Doesn’t that sound good?” Detective Hoffman asked. Isaac felt a tear roll down his cheek, but he said nothing. His fate had already been decided.

*

“The official story is that I got sick the day I disappeared and wandered off into the preserve. It explains the bruises and everything. Everyone is happy and no one is guilty,” Isaac said, finishing up his recounting of what happened in the hospital. “Now I go back home like nothing happened.”

“That’s bullshit!” Stiles hissed. That wasn’t how things were supposed to go. How did shitty people keep getting into positions of power? No wonder Isaac had never felt like he could go to someone before about what was happening at home.

“My dad came in later and put on a whole show. He even shed a couple tears,” Isaac scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“This doesn’t mean you can’t still tell Stiles’ dad the truth, right?” Scott questioned.

“Changing my story now will just discredit me and make me look like a liar. I don’t know, maybe this extra attention will force my dad to change?”

“Do you really believe that?” Stiles challenged. Isaac looked away, making the answer obvious. It was only a matter of time before everything returned to the way things were before. And that was unacceptable.

“What are you gonna do now? You look dead on your feet,” Scott sighed.

“Go home and stay out of my dad’s way? I haven’t slept since I woke up from sedation. Couldn’t stand the thought of opening my eyes and finding someone sitting there again,” Isaac said, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t relax around him. Letting my guard down so soon feels like a bad choice.”

“Want to come to my house?” Scott offered.

“I can’t,” Isaac replied, looking surprised at the offer.

“Why not? You could just sleep if you wanted to. I promise this isn’t some sort of trick.”

“I shouldn’t,” Isaac mumbled, but Stiles could see his resolve crumbling.

“You missed a week of school, right? We can help you get caught up.”

“Do we share any of the same classes?” Stiles asked.

“A couple. I went to the nurse’s office to avoid you guys,” Isaac admitted sheepishly.

“Nice move,” Stiles smirked.

“Really though, just because all this happened, doesn’t mean you’re stuck with me. It should be easy to forget about me completely.”

“No way. You’re part of the squad now,” Stiles declared.

“The squad?” Scott questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Trying out new names for our group. Gang? Crew?”

“Pack?” Isaac added bitterly. Stiles winced at that particular term. He’d seen the last interaction between Derek and Isaac and it hadn’t been pretty. Stiles had hoped that Isaac had been too out of his mind with fever to remember it, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Have you talked to him since…” Stiles trailed off, waving his hands a bit in lieu of actually having to say more.

“No. And I don’t plan on talking to him again,” Isaac replied darkly.

“Okay,” Stiles agreed without comment. Tensions were high and he wasn’t going to push. But he had seen how close they seemed to be after such a short time. Derek wouldn’t let just anyone lay on him and sleep. Stiles would let things cool down before broaching that subject again.

“So does that mean you’re coming to my house?”

“I-”

“Great!” Stiles exclaimed, clapping his hands to cut off any more arguments from Isaac.

“What about lacrosse?”

“Lacrosse has never been a good excuse for anything. Besides, Scott is co-captain and I never get to play. Who cares if we miss a practice?” Stiles scoffed.

“But-”

“It’s settled. One night with us and you’ll never be the same.”

“What?”

“That came out weird, but the sentiment still stands.”

“Fine,” Isaac agreed, throwing up his hands in defeat. “But only for a couple hours. Then I have to go back.”

“Sure,” Stiles replied vaguely, waving for both of them to follow him to his jeep. They’d keep Isaac away from his house for as long as possible, but they couldn’t be too obvious about it and make him uncomfortable. And maybe if he started seeing them as friends, he would be more open to talking to Stiles’ dad again. They just had to make sure Isaac stayed safe until that happened.

Chapter 15: Chapter 15

“Are you sure this is okay? It’s kind of rude to just show up to someone’s house with no notice,” Isaac asked, fidgeting in the backseat of the jeep. He’d been mostly quiet during the drive to Scott’s house, no matter how much either of them tried to pull him into conversation. Stiles was more casual about it, while Scott sounded like he was conducting an interview with the world’s most boring questions. But now he knew that Isaac’s favorite color was blue and his favorite season was winter, so there was that.

“Dude, it’s fine. Melissa loves it when I stop by unannounced. I’m practically her second kid,” Stiles assured him. Melissa wasn’t the type to send away anyone, especially a kid in need. This was a good opportunity to give Isaac an adult ally in town, in case he ever felt like he could open up about what was going on with his dad.

“That’s you. I’m nobody to her,” Isaac pointed out, running his hand through his hair.

“You’re our friend,” Scott said brightly, trying to sound optimistic.

“If I ever brought someone to my house, it wouldn’t be good,” Isaac added quietly, staring down at his shoes. Stiles couldn’t imagine being afraid to bring someone to his house. Things were difficult after his mom died when his dad wasn’t handling it the best, but he was never worried that his dad would hurt him. It was the last thing a parent should want to do.

“Well, you’re always welcome at my house.”

“Finally, a perk from getting the crap kicked out of me and kidnapped,” Isaac muttered bitterly. Scott tried to keep the smile on his face, but Stiles could see it wavering a bit. Isaac must’ve noticed too, since he looked a bit embarrassed by his statement. “Sorry. I’m so used to no one giving a shit about me and now I have random people claiming they do. Putting my faith into someone didn’t really work out too well for me recently.”

“We’re a lot more trustworthy than Derek,” Stiles assured him. “He’s always sneaking around and being creepy. We sneak around too when the situation calls for it, but in a normal way. A good guy, trustworthy way.”

“I probably should’ve known better when I met him in a cemetery in the middle of the night. That isn’t usually how healthy relationships start. But I guess I was so relieved that he didn’t kill me immediately that it was easy to fall for what he was saying,” Isaac sighed, running his hands through his curls. “Like the protective big brother mine never really was.”

“Oh, you have a brother?” Scott asked.

“Not anymore.”

“Look at that, we’re here,” Stiles said quickly, pulling up in front of the McCall house. The longer they stayed in the jeep, the sadder Isaac’s backstory was getting. At least in the house, Stiles would be able to get some distance from him to hide his reaction.

“You can still change your mind. I can walk home and you can forget we ever met,” Isaac offered, wringing his seat belt in his hands.

“Don’t be silly. Of course you’re coming in,” Scott replied, waving him out as he climbed from the jeep. Isaac reluctantly followed, looking like if he had the energy he would’ve taken off in the other direction anyway. But he really did look exhausted. Stiles had the urge to yawn just from being in his presence.

“Melissa, I’m home!” Stiles called out as he walked into the house, glancing around for the woman he considered a second parent to him. He was able to count on her just as much as he counted on his dad. And maybe Isaac would be able to have something like that with her as well.

“Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, at lacrosse practice?” Melissa called back.

“Man, Finstock has got a grip on this whole town, doesn’t he?” Stiles snorted.

“We have company,” Scott announced.

“Since when is Stiles considered- oh!” Melissa said in surprise as she walked into the room and realized there was an extra person she hadn’t been expecting. “Isaac!”

“Hi, Nurse McCall,” Isaac greeted timidly.

“Oh honey, you can call me Melissa,” Melissa insisted, walking over to fuss over Isaac. She was fully in mom mode and Stiles could recall the many times it had been aimed toward him. He couldn’t begin to describe how much he appreciated it. “Are you feeling okay? I wanted them to keep you in the hospital a few more days, but who listens to nurses?”

“I’m fine,” Isaac mumbled, keeping himself stock-still as she fluttered around him. Scott was watching everything with a giant grin. If anyone could break through Isaac’s defenses, it was Melissa.

“An illness like that can take a lot out of you, even after you think you’re better. Your body is still healing. I’m glad you skipped lacrosse. If your coach gives you any flack for taking it easy, you just send him to me,” Melissa declared, setting the back of her hand on Isaac’s forehead. He only flinched a little.

“I don’t think he’ll care. I’m not exactly first string,” Isaac replied, slowly relaxing under a mother’s touch.

“Each member of the team is equally as important. From the ones who play the most to the ones who play the least.”

“That’s me,” Stiles grinned, raising his hand.

“Are you hungry? Can I make something for you?” Melissa offered, leading Isaac over to the couch.

“No need to go out of your way. Scott and Stiles were just going to help me catch up on the schoolwork I missed,” Isaac said, looking a little flustered at all the attention.

“You know, I think I have the ingredients for a nice soup. You all sit tight, should be ready in a little bit,” Melissa declared, bustling out of the room like a ball of energy. Isaac stared after her with wide eyes, before turning back to him and Scott.

“Wow,” Isaac mumbled.

“That’s my mom,” Scott shrugged.

“She’s great,” Isaac whispered, sounding in awe of the whole interaction. Stiles figured it was far outside the realm of what Isaac was used to, which made him sad. Everything he’d heard about his dad was negative and he knew Derek well enough to know the guy probably hadn’t been the best kidnapper. Someone needed to show Isaac how things were supposed to be.

Scott got everyone situated in the living room, pulling out school books to keep what Isaac said from being a lie. Technically they’d brought him over to rest, but this was fine too. Stiles didn’t have much to do, since he did most of his work in his slower classes. It was always better to get things done the first chance he got, in case there was another werewolf crisis he had to deal with.

Melissa came back a few minutes later with a tray of drinks. Isaac’s eyes went wide again as she explained what everything was, nudging the Pedialyte in his direction. If motherly Melissa was a force, she was unstoppable when she put her nurse’s hat on as well. She waited until Isaac took a small sip, then nodded her approval and went back into the kitchen.

“This is weird. I’ve never had so many people worried about my liquid consumption before. Or worried about me in general. Too bad this couldn’t have happened a few years ago. Might’ve saved me a lot of trouble,” Isaac mumbled.

“Years?” Stiles asked quietly, feeling sick at the thought. The idea of Isaac being abused for so long with no one noticing was horrifying. Stiles knew he was a kid as well and wasn’t responsible for saving the world, but he still felt guilty. If Derek hadn’t taken Isaac, no one would’ve known.

“It wasn’t always this bad,” Isaac said quickly. It seemed like the instinct to defend his father was ingrained in him, no matter how wrong it was. “It got worse after my brother died, which is understandable.”

“Is that you talking or that detective?” Stiles challenged.

“It’s not so simple,” Isaac said defensively, although there was no real anger behind his words.

“It’s easier to blame something that happened that was outside of anyone’s control,” Scott said, nodding in understanding. “I made so many excuses for my dad after he left us. It was easier to accept when there was something I could point to. But his actions were his own choice.”

“Was he…” Isaac trailed off, gesturing to the bruises that still decorated his face.

“Not like that, but he wasn’t a good guy, especially to my mom. I think he did what he thought was best when he left, but it’s complicated.”

“I hate my dad,” Isaac said suddenly, bouncing his knee anxiously. “But I love him too. And I’m terrified of him. And I want him to hug me and tell me everything’s gonna be okay. And I want to leave and never see him again. I want to go back to how things were before Derek took me, but I also wish I was still in that stupid motel room, eating crappy pizza and watching daytime talk shows.”

“It’s confusing, since you want to see the best in the people who want to take care of you.”

“Am I supposed to include Derek in that list?” Isaac scoffed, shaking his head at the thought.

“I hope you won’t hate me for saying this, but in Derek’s defense, he was really scared when he called me to get you from the motel the other night. Like, more scared that I’d ever heard him,” Stiles said hesitantly, expecting anger from Isaac in response. “He thought he was making the best choice for you, seeing how sick you were.”

“Maybe I’d be able to appreciate that if I wasn’t looking at two more years stuck in a worse situation than I started out in,” Isaac muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I think the worst part is that I’d started to trust him. I let myself believe that things were going to get better. That he would keep me safe. Then at the first sign of trouble, he was done.”

“I really don’t think he would’ve done that if he wasn’t genuinely worried about your health. Derek’s a dick and pretty much hates me, but he hasn’t done anything super malicious.”

“Suppose I would’ve said yes to becoming a werewolf and joining his pack,” Isaac said, keeping his voice low so Melissa had no chance of hearing anything. “What if I’d been bad at it? Or he realized he actually didn’t like me? What does an Alpha do in that situation?” Stiles and Scott stared at each other for a few seconds and he knew they were both thinking of Peter. That was a completely different story, but not a very promising precedent. Their experience with pack dynamics hadn’t been the best so far.

“I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think Derek would’ve done anything to hurt you,” Scott replied, but there wasn’t much confidence in his voice.

“And when I was laying in that bed with a fever, I would’ve said the same thing about him. And yet, here I am,” Isaac said with a look of dejected acceptance on his face. Stiles wasn’t surprised by it, since it seemed like Isaac had been let down so many times over the years. Trying to hold onto any optimism would just make the disappointment sting harder in the end. They were saved from having to continue on that depressing path by Melissa walking back into the room, carrying a tray.

“I figured you all could eat out here where it’s more comfortable,” Melissa said, setting a bowl of steaming hot soup in front of each of them. “There is plenty more where this came from, if you’re still hungry. There’s also crackers and bread in the kitchen if you’d like some.”

“Nurse McCall, I-”

“Melissa, please.”

“Melissa, this is amazing. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“It was no trouble at all,” Melissa insisted, waving off his flustered politeness. She went back into the kitchen to eat her own serving, letting Isaac relax again. Not that Stiles could really call him relaxed. Holding himself slightly less rigid would be more accurate. It was surprising how controlled he was, given his fatigue. Years of practice was probably the explanation.

“I’m surprised you’re willing to eat a noodle dish this soon after the last one,” Stiles said, causing Isaac to freeze with a fork halfway to his mouth.

“Dude!” Scott chastised, giving him a disappointed look.

“I’m kidding!” Stiles laughed, taking his own big bite to show Isaac it was safe. “Melissa knows how to cook. And if she messes up, she’s a nurse.”

“Comforting,” Isaac mumbled, before taking a bite. He closed his eyes as he chewed, slumping back into the couch cushions a little.

“You okay?” Scott asked.

“Reminds me of my mom’s,” Isaac said quietly, before sniffling a little. “Shit.”

“I have moments like that too, where a little thing will remind me of my mom and knock me on my ass,” Stiles admitted.

“Sometimes I’m not sure if I’m remembering things that actually happened, or imagining things that I wish I had. But I guess anything is better than reality.”

“You can talk to my dad again. He’ll believe you and know what to do,” Stiles insisted.

“It doesn’t matter if he believes me, because there’s no proof,” Isaac said sadly, setting his empty bowl on the coffee table. “He explained away every mark he left on me, got rid of anything in the house that might make him look bad. Not to mention the detective he has who is willing to look the other way for him.”

“But-”

“And where would I go? I don’t have any other family to take me in. And no friends. I could end up in a worse situation than I’m already in,” Isaac replied, shaking his head at the idea. “I’ve dealt with it this long and I’m so close to eighteen. Maybe this will spook my dad into laying off, since there is more attention on us now.”

“Do you really believe that?” Stiles asked. Isaac didn’t say anything, but the answer was clear on his face. He was resigned to the fact that nothing would or could change for him, at least in a positive way. And while Stiles wanted to insist that they could figure things out and make things better, he knew that was easier said than done. For a guy who usually came up with the plans, he was completely out of ideas.

*

“Well, that was depressing,” Stiles muttered as he rinsed off a bowl in the sink. He and Scott had volunteered to clean up after dinner, leaving Isaac to rest in the living room and Melissa to relax in her room. It was really just an excuse for the two of them to regroup and try to figure out a solution to their Isaac problem.

“I feel bad that all of this was happening and we had no idea. Shouldn’t we have known? We were in the locker room with him every afternoon.”

“We’re not exactly in the habit of checking out other guys while we’re changing,” Stiles pointed out. That was more of a middle school activity, when you were paranoid about your own body and needed to compare it to everyone else’s. Now wandering eyes meant something completely different.

“But how did Derek know? He figured it out somehow,” Scott reminded him.

“Derek is a sneaky stalker, that’s how. He probably knows everything about me, with how many times he’s snuck into my bedroom,” Stiles grumbled.

“I doubt he was doing the same with Isaac.”

“It doesn’t really matter how he found out and fretting over us not realizing before won’t change anything. We can only control what we do going forward.”

“Which is?”

“I don’t know,” Stiles sighed, handing Scott a pan to dry and put away. “The only thing we can do for now is keep being his friend, so he has someone he can trust.”

“Doesn’t seem like enough.”

“You could always give in to those werewolf instincts and pay Isaac’s dad a visit,” Stiles suggested, only half joking. He wouldn’t egg Scott on to really do it, but he wouldn’t stop him if he wanted to.

“Stiles.”

“I’m just saying,” Stiles said defensively, holding up his hands in surrender. Scott was very rigid in his views of what was right and what was wrong. But after these past few months, Stiles knew things weren’t so black and white. Sometimes, things were a big gray.

“Let’s get back to Isaac before he sneaks off,” Scott said, tossing his towel on the counter and walking back toward the living room. He stopped short at the threshold of the room, letting out a soft noise of surprise. Isaac had fallen asleep on the couch, leaning over to rest his head on the arm. He looked more relaxed than he had sleeping in the motel, under the influence of his fever. “At least we won’t have to worry about him for tonight.”

“One night down, only a few hundred left to go,” Stiles mumbled. He jumped in surprise at the sound of his phone ringing in his pocket, before rushing back into the kitchen so it wouldn’t wake Isaac. He answered without looking at the screen, wanting to quiet the sound as soon as possible. “Hello?”

“How is he?”

“Fancy hearing from you, Derek. It’s been a while.”

“Stiles, I’m not in the mood.”

“Sounds like a personal problem.” Stiles knew he was being a bit of a dick, but he felt like Derek deserved it.

“Just tell me how Isaac is.”

“How would I know?”

“Because you’re at Scott’s house with him.”

“I should’ve known you were skulking around nearby,” Stiles scoffed, peeking out the nearest window for a glimpse of the sneaky werewolf. He knew he wouldn’t be able to see Derek unless the man wanted to be seen, but it didn’t hurt to try. “If you really want to know, he’s pissed at you.”

“I don’t care about that,” Derek insisted, but Stiles could hear the lie in his voice. He may not have the heartbeat lie detector thing, but he was good at reading people. “Was the hospital able to fix him?”

“No, they released him to live out his final days at Scott's house. He’s planning his funeral in the living room.”

“Stiles.” Stiles paused at the hint of desperation in Derek’s tone. Even though his actions were callous, Derek had been afraid when he called Stiles and asked him to take Isaac. He still didn’t understand the relationship, but Derek obviously had come to care about Isaac. The werewolf was terrible at showing it in a healthy way, but it was there.

“He’s okay. Still on the mend, but not in any danger. From the illness, at least.” Derek let out a long sigh that turned to more of a growl near the end. He knew what Stiles meant by that. Derek had been the one to tell them those details, after all.

“And he hates me,” Derek said, matter-of-factly.

“I said pissed.”

“Same thing.”

“He’s hurt,” Stiles said softly, feeling like he was telling a secret he shouldn’t. “He let himself believe that you were going to save him from his life. And when it didn’t work out, it shattered him.”

“I didn’t- it wasn’t supposed to end like that.”

“Looking at it from the outside, I understand the choice you made. But that doesn’t change things for the situation Isaac’s in now. It’s easier for him to be mad at you because that’s something he can control.”

“Well, if it’ll make him feel better, you can tell him I’m leaving town. He won’t ever have to see me again.”

“Are you serious?” Stiles asked incredulously. He hadn’t been expecting that.

“There is nothing left for me in this town. No point in staying.”

“Derek-”

“Keep an eye out for Isaac. He’s a good kid.”

“You should tell him that yourself. Just come in and I’m sure he’ll give you a chance.”

“It’ll be better for the both of us if I don’t,” Derek replied. Stiles could hear movement on the other end of the line and he knew that Derek was walking away. He was such a stubborn bastard. “Try not to get yourself killed, Stilinski.”

“Wait-” Stiles heard the call disconnect before he could say anything else. Leave it to Derek to kick off all this chaos, then leave them to pick up the pieces and deal with it.

“Derek’s leaving?” Scott asked, materializing behind him suddenly. Damn werewolves.

“Apparently,” Stiles sighed, shoving the phone back in his pocket. “And he transferred custody of Isaac over to us.”

“Unbelievable,” Scott ground out in frustration. “Not that I don’t like Isaac. He seems like a good guy and all, but this is-”

“Above our pay grade?” Stiles finished for him.

“Kind of, yeah. I thought this werewolf stuff was going to be the only thing we had to deal with for a while.”

“Maybe losing his son for a few days has made Isaac’s dad turn over a new leaf?”

“Do you really believe that?”

“No,” Stiles grumbled. Even if he had, they couldn’t trust it. And people typically didn’t pull a 180 like that. They were going to have to do everything they could to keep an eye on Isaac and gently nudge him in the direction of coming clean to the authorities about what was going on at home. Easier said than done.

Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Isaac had felt the tension building. He wasn’t an idiot. When you dealt with things like this for so long, you started to recognize the pattern. And even though his disappearance for a few days had been a previously unseen variable in it all, not that much changed. At least with his dad’s personality.

Isaac’s life had taken a definite turn. Stiles and Scott stuck around, even after everything settled. He still wasn’t sure if he was really their friend or their project, but it was better than anything he’d had before. Having a place to go that his dad wasn’t connected to was incredible.

That first time he’d gone to Scott’s house and fell asleep, he woke up the next morning in a panic. He was about to race out of the house to do damage control with his dad when Scott stopped him, letting him know that his mom had called him the night before. She’d seen his phone number in the hospital records and spoke to him, assuring his dad that Isaac was fine and sleeping at her house for the night. Melissa made sure to slip in some subtle hints about her job and her friendship with the sheriff. To anyone else listening, it would’ve been a parent telling another parent that their child was safe and in good hands, when in truth it was a warning that other adults were involved and watching. It was pretty ballsy, in Isaac’s opinion. Risky, but ballsy.

He’d expected his dad to rage at him the second Isaac was back home, but he hadn’t. The anger was still simmering under the surface, but it wasn’t let out. Maybe it was because his go-to method of punishment had mysteriously vanished before Isaac was let out of the hospital. Isaac had been shocked to see the thing gone, since it had been a looming presence for so long. It made sense for his dad to get rid of it, since the police had probably been by during the search for him. Public image was a powerful influence. Too bad Isaac hadn’t figured that out before.

Derek was still a sore subject for him. Isaac hadn’t seen the man since he lifted him inside of Stiles’ jeep and sent him away. And he wasn’t sure if he ever wanted to see him again. A part of him did believe that Derek thought what he was doing was what was best. What would’ve been the point of saving him from his dad and taking care of him for days, if he wasn’t planning on being around for good? Why bother at all if he was just going to send him right back to where he came from? Maybe Derek was a maniac and only did it for the pleasure of hurting him, but that didn’t sound like the guy who chose to pull the pain from Isaac’s body. Even if this was all a series of unfortunate circumstances, Isaac still couldn’t forgive him.

Everything came to a head just when Isaac’s body had finally felt back to normal. His bruises had faded and he’d gotten the all clear to rejoin lacrosse practice. The doctor’s appointment with his father for his final check-up had been awkward, since he’d had to play the role of concerned dad. But he was on his best behavior, even asking questions as if he cared about Isaac’s health at all.

Unfortunately, Nurse McCall hadn’t been the one to check him over. Part of him was glad that she wouldn’t have to be in his dad’s presence, since that was never fun for anyone. A smaller part of him wished she was there, but Isaac would never admit it out loud. Every time he saw her, she was so kind to him. She was beginning to be someone he thought he might be able to trust, if he did that sort of thing anymore. Sometimes when he fell asleep, he would dream that he’d wake up to the smell of her making pancakes in the kitchen, instead of his dad’s stale coffee with an extra nip. Those nights were a lot better than the ones haunted by freezers and fists.

“You want to come to the clinic with me?” Scott asked, shoving his lacrosse gear in his locker. “I have a short shift tonight, mostly to help with Maple and her new puppies.”

“What are their names? Glazed? Jelly? Old-Fashioned?” Stiles wondered.

“Why would you think donuts before trees?”

“Because I’m not a nerd, Scott,” Stiles scoffed.

“You aren’t?” Scott asked innocently.

“Nah, I’m that rare mix of being smart and cool,” Stiles bragged, wagging his eyebrows.

“Anyways,” Scott groaned, turning his attention back to him. “Isaac?”

“I’ve actually got an essay I need to finish up for tomorrow,” Isaac replied, noticing the way Scott’s cheek twitched in disappointment.

“Well then, you can do it at Stiles’ house while I’m working. Homework is always better to do with company,” Scott suggested. Isaac barely hid his grimace at the idea of going to Stiles’ house. The possibility of running into the sheriff set his nerves on edge. Even if their previous interaction hadn’t been negative, Isaac didn’t want to be questioned by him now. He didn’t want to lie, but he also couldn’t tell the truth.

“I’ve already started it on my computer at home,” Isaac shrugged, looking away now that Scott was openly frowning. It wasn’t like he hadn’t gone home at all since his time with Derek, but they all tried to make it as rare as possible. Isaac would mostly just cross paths with his dad on his way to and from his bedroom. And once he was in, he didn’t go out.

“Isaac-”

“It’s fine. Nothing’s happened and I don’t think it will. I think he’s realized ignoring me is easier,” Isaac said, aiming for a self-deprecating laugh at the end. It fell flat. “I’m still staying over at your house this weekend.”

“I know, it’s just…” Scott trailed off helplessly. The words didn’t need to be said. They were worried about him, which still blew Isaac’s mind. It didn’t feel real. And that was part of the reason that Isaac wasn’t sticking by Scott and Stiles’ side and avoiding his house completely.

Isaac couldn’t rely on them for everything. Right now, it was still new and somewhat easy. They didn’t have to do much beyond hang out. But what happened if things got harder? Or they decided they didn’t like him? What if they got burned out on his drama and had something else more important to deal with? Isaac would be left to go crawling back to his dad with nothing to fall back on. If he started dealing with things on his own now, it wouldn’t be so hard when he was truly on his own again.

“Text me pictures of the puppies, okay? I’ll see you tomorrow,” Isaac said, walking out of the locker room before Scott or Stiles could reply. He didn’t know if they were relaying any information to Derek about how things were going, since they pointedly didn’t bring him up. Isaac wondered if he was watching and waiting to swoop in at the first sign of trouble. He wasn’t sure if he hated the idea or hoped for it.

Isaac took his time on the walk back to his house. There was an essay due, but it wouldn’t take that long. He was just trying to find that sweet spot of time where his dad would have a full stomach from dinner and not beer. His dad’s schedule was wonky, thanks to the different demands of the cemetery, so it was always a guessing game. Apparently the universe decided he needed to lose.

Isaac could tell he was in trouble the second he stepped in the house. He didn’t even see his father, but he could feel his presence. That had been a skill Isaac developed out of survival. He had to be hyper aware of his dad, so he could try to prepare for what was coming. It rarely helped him escape his fate, but being forewarned was being forearmed. He thought about turning around and walking right back out the door. Or trying to sneak to his bedroom. But the sound of his dad’s voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Isaac, would you come into the kitchen?” his dad called out. He framed it like a request instead of a demand, but Isaac knew it wasn’t optional. If he disobeyed a direct order, there would be hell to pay. His dad didn’t forget anything. There would always be something he could pull to justify his actions. Not following his command was the most grievous offense.

Isaac took a few deep breaths to try and steady himself as he walked to the kitchen. Looking guilty would make his dad think he had something to hide. These days, he had a ton of new things to hide. And somehow, the werewolf secret was barely even on his radar.

“Have a seat,” his dad said as soon as he came into view. “I made dinner.” He was sitting at his usual spot at the table, with a place already set for Isaac. It looked like any other meal they’d shared over the years, but it still made Isaac’s palms sweat. They hadn’t eaten together since the night before Derek found him. The night Isaac spent in the freezer.

He numbly walked over to the table and sat down. The smell of the food in front of him immediately turned his stomach. His dad was eating as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Not outwardly angry, but that didn’t mean anything. Isaac took the smallest bite he could, chewing slowly as he forced his body to not immediately reject the food.

“Is everything alright, son? You look ill,” his father asked, his voice dripping with faux concern. Isaac felt all the blood drain from his face. When his dad had the wherewithal to be mocking, it meant he had full control of his actions. And his goal was to punish Isaac. “And so soon after your last sickness.”

“I’m fine,” Isaac mumbled, jiggling his leg under the table. He wanted to run.

“You are? Well, that’s great news. I was so worried about you,” his dad said exaggeratedly, going as far as to wipe the nonexistent sweat off his forehead. Isaac gripped his fork tight enough to turn his knuckles white. “Imagine my surprise when I got home from work and you weren’t where I left you. I was so scared that something bad had happened to you.” As if beating him and locking him in a freezer for hours wasn’t something bad. Isaac didn’t know what kind of mindset it took to be able to commit such heinous acts and not feel any remorse. To be able to reference it like it meant nothing.

“Nothing happened,” Isaac said quietly. He definitely wasn’t going to mention Derek, even if being technically kidnapped would be his best defense. It wouldn’t matter to his dad. Everything would swing back to being Isaac’s fault.

“Nothing happened? You get the police in my business and nothing happened?” his dad snapped, slamming his fork down onto the table. Isaac jumped, dropping his own as well. “It was bad enough when you can’t handle things at the graveyard and cause thousands of dollars worth of damage, but bringing the cops to my doorstep? Boy, I knew you were stupid, but this one takes the damn cake.”

“I didn’t- I didn’t talk to them,” Isaac argued softly, keeping any hint of aggression out of his voice. Isaac could’ve spilled the whole truth to anyone who would listen, even if it got him nowhere, but he didn’t. He kept his dad’s secret, resigning himself to this fate.

“Do you think that matters? Did that stop me from being scrutinized and judged by all those people?” he asked, leaning forward. Isaac cringed back. “After all I’ve done for you. I put a roof over your head. I keep you fed. And for what?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry you’re the one I was left with,” his dad snarled. Isaac closed his eyes against the tears that wanted to fall. It wasn’t like he hadn’t known his dad felt that way. Hell, most of the time, he felt that way too. Camden wasn’t perfect, but he was better. And his mom deserved to live a long, happy life. How was it that the worst parts of the family were the ones who remained? “Tell me where you were.”

“What?” Isaac asked in confusion, risking a glance up at his dad. His eyes were laser focused on him. Isaac could practically feel the burn where they landed.

“Where were you?” his dad asked again, emphasizing each word. “Everyone else may have bought your story, but I know when you’re lying. I want to know where you went.”

“I- I don’t remember.”

“Bullshit!” his father shouted, standing up and sliding his chair back with a clatter. Isaac knew he should try to run, but he was frozen. This was why he couldn’t accept Derek’s offer. No matter what abilities he gained, he would always be a coward. Why bring anyone else down along with him? “Answer my question.”

“Dad.”

“Do you know how much I hate hearing that word come out of your mouth?” he sneered, stepping up to stand right in front of him. Isaac was practically curled into a ball in his seat, with his head hung low and his shoulders around his ears. “Those days where you weren’t around were some of the best I’ve had in years. I prayed that you would do me a favor and never come back, but you can’t do anything right, can you?” Isaac choked back a sob, trying to block out his father’s harsh words. Why was it so easy for his dad to find the perfect words to destroy him? He didn’t want him, Derek didn’t want him. Isaac had no one.

“I’m sorry,” Isaac said again, because what else could he say? There was nothing that would make anything better. Begging never helped with his dad. Begging never helped with Derek. It was as if everything was set up for failure for him from the beginning and he just had to roll with the literal punches. He was naive to think that would ever change.

The first punch to his jaw caught him off guard. Isaac fell off his chair, sprawling at his father’s feet. He cupped his cheek with a shaky hand, blinking away tears born more from panic than pain. The nights where his dad was willing to cause visible bruises were always the worst. All bets were off when he didn’t care.

“Pathetic,” his dad snarled, reaching down to grab at his collar. Isaac tried to squirm away, but that only earned him a stinging backhand across his cheek. He let himself be pulled up, putting him inches away from his father’s angry, red face. “Did you think just because I got rid of the freezer that you wouldn’t be punished? That you’d be able to get away with all your crap?”

“Dad-”

“Don’t call me that!” his dad roared, tossing him back to the floor. Isaac knew what was coming, but couldn’t curl up in time before the first kick landed in his stomach. They kept coming, again and again, as Isaac tried to protect his most vulnerable parts. Times like these made him curse his tall stature. Each extra inch was another place for his dad to hurt.

“Stop!” Isaac pleaded, wrapping his arms around his head. His whole body was screaming in pain, but his father wasn’t letting up. It seemed like all the pent up frustration from the past few weeks, possibly years, was coming out in this moment. Maybe the fear he let out in the motel had been right. Maybe his dad really was going to kill him.

“Stop!” his dad mocked, shoving him with his foot before stalking over to one of the kitchen cabinets. The one with the alcohol. Isaac took advantage of the reprieve, reaching a trembling hand down to his pocket. If he could just make a phone call, maybe someone could help him. Isaac hated asking for anything, but he was desperate. He was just about to press the button to open up his contacts when a hand reached down and gripped him around his wrist. The pain made his fingers go lax and he dropped the phone, sending it to the floor with a clatter.

“Da-” Isaac couldn’t even get the word out before the side of his head collided with the wall. He slumped to the floor, laying his cheek on the cool linoleum as his head swam. His blurry phone was inches in front of him. So close, yet so far away. A text from Scott popped up, showing a picture of a litter of puppies. Isaac stared at it for a few seconds before a foot stomped down on the screen, shattering it. Just like the phone Isaac had to replace after his first encounter with a werewolf. No matter what he did, he couldn’t escape the monsters.

“Do you really think anyone would want to help you? No one cares about you,” he taunted, circling Isaac like he was downed prey. Isaac’s head was throbbing and his brain was a mess, but he tried to tell himself that that wasn’t true. He had to believe that if Scott knew what was going on, he’d come. Even Stiles, although he probably wasn’t strong enough to do much. And maybe Derek.

Not the Derek who coldly sent Isaac away in Stiles’ jeep while he was begging to stay, but the one who picked him up out of the freezer and carried him to safety. Not the Derek who told him to take care of himself, but the one who sat with him while he was sick and pulled the pain from his body. Not the Derek who didn’t try to talk to him after all this happened, but the one he opened up to and who opened up a little in return.

Maybe they were the same person, but Isaac’s hurt had been too deep to see it at the time. He wanted to discount everything that Derek had said or done, because it was easier that way. To admit that the person you looked to for salvation was flawed meant that there might not be salvation for you. And lying on the kitchen floor made that idea look so much more accurate. But maybe it just meant that Isaac had to be his own savior for once. And maybe Derek had been the one to show him how to be that person.

Isaac wasn’t a fighter. During all these encounters with his father, the most he’d ever tried to do was escape. Either by pulling away or running, but never laying a hand on him. Was it because the idea of hurting his father made him sick, even if it was justified? Or because he knew he’d fail and face repercussions he couldn’t even fathom? Either way, Isaac had to do something. This beating was different. He couldn’t lay there and take it if he didn’t think he would make it out the other end.

Isaac waited until his dad was standing near his feet, then he struck. He remembered the way Scott’s leg buckled when Derek kicked it with barely any strength. Isaac didn’t hold anything back. His dad’s leg bent sideways from the force of Isaac’s strike. He cried out in response, falling heavily on his side to the floor.

“You little bastard!” he panted, rocking on the floor as he clutched his injured knee. Isaac scooted back, trying to get as much distance as he could from the furious man. His dad lunged for him, but came up short and landed in a heap, still gripping at his leg. Isaac used the wall to force himself up to his feet and stood there for a few seconds, staring at his father. After the countless beatings Isaac had received over the years, where he was expected to go on as normal afterwards and put on an act, this was all it took to bring his father down? It was relieving and frustrating and terrifying, all at the same time.

Isaac rushed out the front door as fast as his legs would take him, leaving behind his dad who was screaming his name. He didn’t think as he ran, barely seeing through the blur of tears in his eyes. All he knew was that he needed to get somewhere safe, if a place like that even existed.

He wasn’t sure how far he’d gone before his body forced him to slow down. The adrenaline that had gotten him to this point was quickly leaching out of his body, leaving the full force of the pain it had been masking in its place. Isaac swiped at the sweat that was trickling down his face, jerking a little in surprise when his fingers came away red. Was he bleeding?

Isaac wrapped his arms around himself, trying to warm up. It felt like it was suddenly freezing. He hissed when he touched a tender spot on his stomach. His body was probably going to be covered in bruises again, which was unfortunately not out of the ordinary for him. He was so tired of seeing his skin marked up. He was tired of having to sit or lay a certain way, so pressure wouldn’t be put on a tender area. He was tired in general.

Isaac’s steps had turned from a run, to a jog, to a brisk walk, to a stumbling shuffle by the time his brain caught up to his surroundings. His muddled mind hadn’t led him to Scott’s house or even Stiles’. It hadn’t taken him to the hospital either, which was probably where he should be. Instead, Isaac was standing outside the motel Derek had taken him to.

His legs carried him to the room they shared without much thought. As if it were an act of fate, the door was unlocked. Isaac stumbled in, barely noticing the smell of fresh paint and the emptiness of the space now. He flopped down on his old bed, curling up as best he could to stave off the chill. He should’ve crawled under the covers, but exhaustion was hitting him full force. All he wanted to do was sleep until this was a distant memory.

“You’re an idiot.” Isaac jolted in shock, moaning loudly as the move jostled his injuries. He almost forgot what prompted that response until he opened his eyes and saw Derek sitting on the bed across from him.

“What?” Isaac mumbled in confusion, blinking sluggishly as Derek wavered in and out of focus. “Derek?”

“Expecting someone else?” Derek asked, raising an eyebrow.

“What are you doing here?” Had he been staying at the motel this whole time?

“What are you doing here? You look like shit.” Isaac snorted in amusement, somehow missing Derek’s prickly bedside manner.

“Thanks.”

“You shouldn’t be here. You need to leave.”

“Kicking me out again?” Isaac whispered, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. The first time was bad enough, but he didn’t know if he’d be able to survive Derek booting him again. Especially while he was like this. He’d probably curl up in a ball on the ground and give up.

“How can I kick you out when I’m not even here?”

“What?” Isaac asked, looking up again to find the other bed empty. “What the hell? I’m finally losing it.”

“You’re gonna lose a lot more if you sit here and do nothing,” Derek warned. Or not-Derek. Isaac wasn’t sure anymore.

“Why do you care? You left me.”

“But I’m here now.”

“You just said you weren’t here,” Isaac pointed out. Derek just shrugged in response. “My head hurts.”

“Which is why you have to do something.”

“Like what?”

“Figure it out,” Derek sighed in annoyance. Even a figment of Isaac’s own imagination didn’t seem to like him.

“I don’t know,” Isaac mumbled, feeling his fatigue drag him down again. Maybe he’d know what to do after he got some sleep.

“Stay awake, Isaac!” Derek snapped.

“Why?” Isaac groaned.

“So housekeeping doesn’t have to come in later and find your rotting corpse.”

“I’m not dying.”

“Are you sure about that?” Derek argued, jerking his chin in Isaac’s direction. “Do you even realize you’re still bleeding?”

“Shit,” Isaac muttered, poking at his hairline. He hissed when he came into contact with the weeping cut. It must’ve come from his dad slamming his head into the wall. Screw his life.

“Yeah. You might want to take care of that.”

“How?”

“Do I have to figure out everything for you?” Derek grumbled, gesturing to the phone sitting on the table between the beds. He had been trying to call for help earlier, before his dad broke his phone. But that was during the fight. It was over now and Isaac was safe. What if anyone he called told him to deal with his problems himself? The danger was gone.

“I don’t know any numbers.”

“Yes, you do. I know you’re lying because I’m a figment of your imagination.” Not even Isaac’s own imagination could be nice to him.

“Not yours.” Not-Derek somehow looked flustered at that statement, which didn’t make sense. Would the real Derek even come if he called? Had he already moved on and found someone more suitable for his pack? Was Isaac just a distant memory now?

“You have someone better to call. Now stop being a stubborn idiot and do it!” Derek demanded. Isaac’s hand reached out without thought, grabbing the phone off the receiver. He was conditioned to follow a direct order, even if this one came from his own rattled brain. Isaac jabbed his fingers into the buttons, hoping he was getting the number right. His bad luck with cell phones had gotten him into the habit of trying to memorize his more important contacts, as few as those were. He really needed to know this one right now.

“Hello?” Isaac almost dropped the phone in relief at the sound of the voice on the other end of the line. At least something had gone right.

“Scott.”

“Isaac? What number are you calling from?” Scott asked. Isaac could hear shuffling sounds in the background. “Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry,” Isaac sniffled, suddenly feeling very guilty. This was all his fault. “I should’ve listened to you.”

“What happened?”

“I knew it would happen, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

“Isaac, you’re scaring me. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I’m scared all the time too.”

“Where are you? Are you home?”

“Can’t go back there.”

“Mom, I need to borrow the car!”

“My head hurts.”

“Isaac, tell me where you are. I can come get you.”

“Derek got rid of me, but he told me to call.”

“Is he with you? Can you put him on the phone?”

“No more Derek. Just me.”

“Help me out here. Just tell me where you are.”

“It wasn’t so bad here before. I wish I could’ve stayed.”

“Hold on, okay? I’m coming.”

“Isaac?”

“Isaac!”

Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Scott watched as Stiles’ leg bounced uncontrollably. He was always moving around at the best of times, but it got really bad when he was stressed. And this was one of the more stressful situations that they’d dealt with in a while. That was saying something, with how their lives were.

They were sitting in the hospital, waiting for any word on Isaac’s condition. As soon as he’d been brought in, he’d been whisked away. Apparently they weren’t important enough to get any updates, since they weren’t family. But they weren’t going anywhere.

Scott had just gotten home from his shift when his phone rang. The number wasn’t one he had saved, but he knew better than to assume it was a telemarketer or wrong number. It was a safer bet that it would end up a crisis. And he hadn’t been wrong.

He knew he should’ve insisted that Isaac not go home. He’d had a feeling in his gut that things had been too quiet recently. Call it werewolf instincts or whatever, but he’d wanted to convince Isaac to stay with either him or Stiles, just until the feeling went away. And if it never did, then he’d never go back. It was unrealistic, but Scott didn’t care. They would’ve had a better outcome than this.

Isaac’s slurred voice on the other end of the line terrified him. He wasn’t making much sense as Scott tried to get information from him, but the detail about Derek clued him in on where he could possibly be. Scott kept the line open after Isaac stopped responding, giving his mom a brief rundown of what was going on. If Isaac was really hurt, he wanted her to be there. This wasn’t like when he got hurt and could tuck himself away for a while to heal. Isaac was still fragile and human.

The drive to the motel had been nerve-wracking, especially as they got closer and Scott could smell the scent of Isaac getting stronger. He distracted himself by texting Stiles about the situation, so he wouldn’t wolf out in front of his mother. It was a near thing when they finally pulled into the parking lot and all Scott could smell was blood. They were in the right place, but it was worse than he thought.

Scott honestly would’ve thought Isaac was dead at first glance, if he couldn’t hear his heartbeat. He was laying on his side on one of the beds, with a puddle of blood staining the pillow underneath his pale face. The phone he used to call Scott was laying on top of his limp hand.

His mom sprung into action immediately, letting her training take over. She gave herself one moment to look horrified and devastated, then she swallowed it all and got to work. Scott followed her instructions as she checked him over, using whatever supplies she had in the first aid kit she kept in the car for emergencies. Isaac never made a sound. When his mom felt something she didn’t like on Isaac’s stomach, she knew it was time to move. They had no idea how long Isaac had been like this and she wasn’t willing to wait for an ambulance to show up, so they carried Isaac to the car and took him to the hospital themselves. Scott sat in the back with him, taking any pain he could while his mom was focusing on the road. She went into the treatment area with Isaac as soon as they got to the hospital and Scott hadn’t seen her since.

“What’s taking so long?” Stiles groaned, flopping his head over the back of his chair.

“Maybe they’re just patching him up and he’ll walk out here soon?” Scott offered hopefully.

“Do you really believe that?”

“No,” Scott sighed, running a hand down his face. Even if his werewolf abilities hadn’t told him more than he wanted to know about Isaac’s condition, his mom’s reaction had.

“I’m gonna hack into the computer system and see what I can find,” Stiles declared, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

“You don’t know how to hack anything and trying will just get us kicked out of the hospital.”

“I have to do something! I’m not built to sit around in waiting rooms,” Stiles grumbled, gnawing on his thumb nail. Scott knew that wasn’t true, since he’d just done it for Lydia. And he’d had more than enough experience to last a lifetime when his mom was sick. He never liked to let it show, but Stiles hated being in hospitals altogether.

“I think I hear my mom coming,” Scott said, closing his eyes to block out his other senses. Sure enough, he heard the sound of his mother’s gait as she walked down the hall toward where they were sitting. Scott rushed to the doors with Stiles hot on his heels, hovering there so they would be able to intercept her. When she finally walked in, she didn’t seem surprised to see them there.

“Boys,” his mom sighed, looking tired. Not completely devastated, so Isaac was probably still alive.

“How is he?” Scott asked, eager to hear some good news.

“It’s confidential.”

“Come on!” Stiles whined, pulling at his short hair in frustration. “You have to give us something. Isaac wouldn’t mind.”

“Mom, please,” Scott whispered, using the best puppy dog eyes he could muster. “We don’t need to know everything, we just need to know if he’s going to be okay.” His mom still looked hesitant, but after a few more seconds of internal deliberation, she motioned for them to follow her into a quieter corner of the room.

“He’s in surgery.”

“Oh my God.”

“There was a small tear in his spleen, but the doctors are confident they can repair it.”

“That bastard!” Stiles hissed, balling his fists.

“I’m assuming you know who did this? And that it’s the same person I’m thinking of as well?” his mom asked, her face going dark. Isaac hadn’t been around long, but that didn’t matter. Scott’s mom wouldn’t accept any kid getting hurt on her watch.

“His dad,” Scott confirmed, not worrying about protecting Isaac’s privacy anymore. If Isaac couldn’t take care of himself, they would for him.

“And he told you that for sure?”

“Not about this time, but we know about other things.”

“Stay here. I’m going to go make some phone calls. And if there is any news on Isaac’s condition, I’ll let you know.” She hugged both of them before walking off to the nurse’s station. Scott wished he’d told her sooner, instead of listening to Isaac. Maybe they wouldn’t have been in this mess.

“I’m gonna make a phone call too,” Stiles growled, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and jabbing at the buttons angrily.

“Your dad?” Scott asked, even though he knew that wasn’t the answer.

“I’m not stopping until you pick up, asshole,” Stiles ground out, hitting the button over and over after his call kept getting rejected. The fact that the number was still in service and Stiles wasn’t blocked had to mean something. If Derek truly wanted to disappear, he would’ve.

“What do you want, Stiles?” Derek growled, finally answering.

“Hey Derek, how’s it going? Just wanted to know how the weather is where you are. Oh, by the way, Isaac’s in the hospital.”

“What? I thought I told you to keep an eye on him!” Derek snapped.

“You are not putting the blame on us! It’s not like we could hold him against his will. That’s your move.” Scott had to wince at that. It was kind of a low blow. He could hear Derek breathing heavily on the other end of the phone. As much as he liked to pretend that he didn’t care about anything, Derek still seemed to care about Isaac.

“How is he? Is he going to be okay?” Derek asked, without the anger from before.

“You’ll have to come and find out for yourself,” Stiles replied, before ending the call.

“Dude.”

“I’m not gonna let Derek weasel his way out of this one. He started all this and if he wants to end it, he’s gonna have to show up.”

“But he left town. Do you think he’s gonna come back for this? He could be on the other side of the country by now.”

“Then he better start driving.”

*

Derek didn’t really have to drive far. Even though he told Stiles that he was leaving town and planned to, he barely got outside of Beacon Hills before his conscience stopped him. He pulled over on the side of the road and mentally listed every reason he should leave the town that caused him so much pain.

It was the place his family was murdered, years ago and recently. It was where Paige died in his arms. It was crawling with Argents, which meant people who wanted him dead as well. Anywhere else on the planet could be a fresh start for him, away from all the pain and chaos. But his mind always shifted back to Isaac.

Was it because he was an Alpha now? Was he hardwired to want to protect and lead? Peter sure hadn’t been that way with Scott, but his mom had with her pack. And even though Isaac wasn’t his Beta and wasn’t technically in his pack, Derek still felt that protectiveness over him. He sent Isaac away because he needed to save him, not because he hadn’t wanted him anymore. It felt like there was an empty pit in his stomach now that he was gone.

But Derek also knew that Isaac didn’t want to see him. He’d done the exact thing he’d promised not to do. He gave Isaac hope, then ripped it away. He promised him safety, then sent him back into danger. There was never a life with Derek that would be without risk, but at least they would’ve been together. And Derek would’ve thrown himself in the line of fire to protect his pack.

That thought was why Derek found another abandoned building to squat in just outside of town. When he knew he could get away with it, he went into town to check on Isaac. It was harder to do now that Scott was hanging around him more often. It would be just his luck that Scott would start using his abilities and sniff him out.

Isaac was looking better as time went on. The bruises faded and no new ones took their place. Derek started to think that maybe Isaac’s dad had been scared into turning over a new leaf or just decided that abusing his son wasn’t worth the risk to himself. He’d just seen Isaac the day before and he was fine. But of course people didn’t change. Neither did Derek, deep down. So he was going to handle this like the old Derek.

The Lahey house was quiet when he pulled up to it. It was dark outside and the street was empty, but it wouldn’t have mattered either way. There could’ve been a parade out front, but it wouldn’t have changed what Derek was about to do. He got out of the car and walked up to the door, not bothering to knock before opening it up. It was unlocked, so at least he didn’t have to rip it off the hinges.

“Isaac?” Derek followed the sound of the voice, finding Isaac’s father sitting in a chair in his living room. There was a half empty bottle of whiskey on the table next to him and a few bottles of beer scattered around. Derek felt a little pang of disappointment that the man wouldn’t be sober for this. He didn’t want any alcohol to dull his senses. “Who the hell are you?”

Derek ignored the question, walking around the room. When he’d been in the house before, he’d been so focused on finding Isaac that he hadn’t paid attention to many of the details. Derek’s opinion on living situations should probably be taken with a grain of salt due to how he was living now, but he’d grown up in a real, loving home. This wasn’t one. There was nothing personal. Probably because things were broken often enough that it would be a waste of money to replace things often.

“So, you’re the man who likes to beat on his son,” Derek said, turning to face Isaac’s father. He’d stood up from his chair, but was obviously favoring one leg. Derek felt a pang of satisfaction at the sight.

“Excuse me? How dare you come into my house and accuse me of such things?” he snapped, full of indignation. The audacity of it all was too much. It only took two strides before Derek was in front of him and he punched him right across the jaw. He didn’t use his full power, since that would’ve killed the man immediately. That was too easy. Isaac’s dad fell back into his chair, clutching the side of his face in shock.

“Not so fun being on the other side of it, right?” Derek asked, hovering over him. He wanted to make Isaac’s father feel as small as possible, just to give him a taste of what it felt like to be picked on by someone with more power.

“I’m going to call the police,” he groaned, patting his pockets for his phone.

“Go ahead. I’m sure they’d love to hear what’s been going on in this house.”

“You have no proof. No one would believe you!” he spat, trying and failing to look cocky from his position.

“You might be right. I could tell all the right people and you could still get off scot-free,” Derek conceded. He waited for Isaac’s father to look triumphant at that idea, before he leaned down closer to him. “I guess I’ll have to deliver justice myself.” Derek picked up Isaac’s father by the collar and tossed him down to the floor. He cowered as he waited for another punch or kick, but Derek paused again. He was going to drag this out as long as he wanted.

“Don’t do this!”

“Did asking you to stop ever work for Isaac?” Derek wondered, circling him slowly and deliberately. Every flinch bolstered Derek’s actions. “When he begged you to stop hurting him? Your own son.”

“I didn’t-”

“Stop lying!” Derek shouted, kicking him in the stomach. He let out a pitiful wheeze and curled around himself. “I know what you are and what you’ve done. You can’t talk your way out of this.”

“Please-”

“Please,” Derek mocked, kicking him in the back. He wrapped his arms around his head to protect it. Derek pictured Isaac doing the same and felt a new level of rage take over. Derek knelt down and wrenched one of his hands away from his body, inspecting it. “Are these the hands you use to inflict pain on your son? Or should I say, used to?” Derek forced it flat against the floor and started punching it, slamming his fists down over and over until he could feel the bones being crushed.

“Stop! Help!” Isaac’s father shrieked, but Derek wasn’t deterred. As soon as he was finished with the first hand, he moved onto the second.

“Sorry to disappoint you about your neighbors. They don’t seem to be the type to give a shit when they hear someone being hurt,” Derek ground out, leaning back and staring at his work in satisfaction. Isaac’s father’s hands were already turning black from the blood pooling under his skin. All of his fingers were bent unnaturally and there probably wasn’t a single bone intact. His hands would probably never function properly again. It still didn’t feel like enough.

“You won’t get away with this,” Isaac’s father wept, shaking from the pain as he tucked his ruined hands against his chest. “You’re going to prison.” Derek barked out a laugh, leaning close to the man so his face would be all he could see.

“Do you think I’m scared of going to jail? I’ll happily spend the rest of my life there, satisfied in the knowledge that I wiped the stain that is you off the face of this earth. But know this,” Derek said, pausing to show just how serious he was. To clue him in on the pain that was coming his way. “If I go to prison, it’s going to be for murder.”

*

Scott tapped the side of the vending machine as he waited for it to finish pouring the coffee he bought. He was getting one for his mom, while he and Stiles were sticking to hot chocolate. They definitely didn’t need the burst to caffeine to make them even more restless.

It had only been an hour or so since they found out Isaac was in surgery, but it felt like so much longer. They hadn’t gotten any other updates, but hopefully no news was good news. Scott’s mom had been at the nurse’s station making phone calls the whole time, talking to a lot of different people. He heard the words “protective services” said a few times, so he knew that his mom wasn’t planning on letting Isaac slip through the cracks this time. Scott didn’t know if Isaac would be happy to hear about everything when he woke up, but there was no going back now. His father had made the decision for all of them.

“Do you think if I put on a pair of scrubs that I could pass as a doctor and sneak into the emergency room?” Stiles wondered as they made their way back to the emergency room.

“Probably not. You’re more likely to get yourself banned from the hospital.”

“Well, that’s not fair,” Stiles scoffed. They walked up to the desk just as Scott’s mom was hanging up the phone. She looked a bit frazzled, but not upset, so Scott took it as a good sign.

“I brought you this,” Scott said, passing over the steaming cup.

“Thank you, sweetie,” she replied, blowing into it before taking a small sip.

“Any updates?” Scott asked, hopefully.

“Not yet, but that’s nothing to be concerned about. These things take time,” she assured them. Scott wondered how many times in her career she’d had to deliver bad news to people who were waiting to hear about the people they loved. The thought of it only made him appreciate his mom more.

“And with the phone calls?”

“Those things also take time.”

“But will Isaac have to go back to his dad?”

“Scott-”

“Holy shit,” Stiles said suddenly, staring past Scott in shock. Scott followed his gaze, feeling his mouth drop open. “I don’t think we have to worry about that anymore.” Isaac’s dad was being pushed into the waiting room in a wheelchair by Derek Hale.

The man was barely recognizable. It looked like every inch of him was covered in either bruises or blood, or a combination of both. One of his eyes was swollen shut and his cheek looked sunken in. Scott almost gagged at the sight of his hands that were laying limply in his lap. He couldn’t even start to imagine what was hidden under his clothes. If Scott thought Isaac looked bad in that motel room, it was nothing compared to this.

“I need to speak to the sheriff,” Mr. Lahey said as soon as Derek parked him in front of the desk. His voice was slurred and Scott thought he might’ve seen a few of his teeth were missing. His mom’s eyes flicked between the two of them in shock, before she slipped back into her professional mode. All the other staff seemed happy enough to let her handle it for now.

“What happened to you?” she asked.

“I had an accident.”

“And what do you need to talk to the sheriff about?” Scott hadn’t seen Derek’s expression change since he walked into the room and now was no different. He looked completely calm.

“I need to report a crime.” Scott looked at Derek again, but he still didn’t look worried. It was pretty obvious he was the cause of this. A good samaritan story probably wouldn’t fly with Derek’s recent history in the town. All Mr. Lahey needed to do was point a finger at him. Well, maybe not a finger. “I need to confess to a crime.”

“Oh.”

“He’s on his way,” Stiles said quietly, slipping his phone back into his pocket. His mom nodded, pressing a button behind the desk. A few seconds later, two big orderlies came out from the back. Even Scott was intimidated by them, regardless of his enhanced strength.

“Could you accompany Mr. Lahey to a treatment room? He’s waiting to speak with Sheriff Stilinski,” his mom requested, giving them a look that told them more than her words needed to. They nodded in understanding, moving to wheel the man away. Scott watched him go, wincing at the trail of blood he was leaving behind. He turned back when he heard Derek moving behind him, expecting to see the man disappearing out of the hospital. Instead, he walked over to one of the chairs and sat down, crossing his arms as he settled in to wait. Scott glanced back at Stiles who just shrugged and went to join Derek. He had a million questions, but Scott figured this wasn’t the time or place for them. And while this wasn’t the way he would’ve chosen to deal with Isaac’s home situation, it seemed the problem had already been solved. Now Isaac had to wake up so they could tell him.

Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Isaac didn’t want to open his eyes. When he was in the freezer, sometimes if he tried hard enough, he could pretend he was somewhere else. That he was asleep out in a field with no walls in sight. Or anywhere really where he could spread out his limbs as far as they would go. But it was usually only head trauma or a lack of oxygen that would afford him that mental escape. There was some sort of haze dulling his senses now, and it was kind of nice.

He could tell he wasn’t in the freezer now, since his legs weren’t curled to the point of cramping. Maybe his father had sprung for an actual coffin to put him in. The cemetery would probably give him an employee discount. Isaac couldn’t hold back a shudder at that thought.

“You need to be more careful.”

Isaac jerked in surprise, before the pain of the movement stole his breath away. He panted harshly when he had the ability to breathe again, trying to stop himself from throwing up. From how badly his stomach hurt, he knew that strain would probably kill him. If he were lucky.

“I’ve finally fucking lost it,” Isaac muttered, squeezing his eyes shut even harder. Of all the people for his subconscious to conjure up, why did it have to be Derek? A man he would probably never see again. Imagining his mom would at least be somewhat of a comfort, but his brain couldn’t even give him that.

“Do you need to call a nurse?”

“Why are you always trying to get me to call people? You didn’t even give me your number.” And why was he still having a conversation with a hallucination? He’d blame whatever drugs were being pumped into his body through the needle he felt stuck in his skin. Funny that they weren’t enough to take away all the pain he was feeling, but maybe he deserved the discomfort. When his dad got the bill for this hospital stay, he was in for a lot worse.

“What are you talking about?”

“You should know, since you’re a figment of my imagination,” Isaac scoffed. He needed to pass out again so he could have some peace before life decided the next way it needed to kick him down lower. Maybe his dad would be able to convince everyone that Isaac was the violent one and send him to jail. Maybe that wouldn’t be a bad thing. One cage for another.

“Your imagination is shit if I’m what you come up with.”

“I don’t have much,” Isaac sniffled, shaking his head. He really didn’t want to cry, but what was the harm in doing it now? He was alone and in so many ways. “I thought you were gonna save me, but you just made everything worse.”

“Isaac-”

“Why did you do it?” Isaac asked, biting his lip as it wobbled. “Why did you let me think things were going to get better?”

“Isaac.”

“You got me to trust you, and for what? Did it give you some sort of sick pleasure? Was it your plan all along to send me back?”

“No.”

“I was always gonna end up here.”

“Isaac.” A hand touched his arm and Isaac’s eyes snapped open. Hallucinations couldn’t touch you, right? Isaac’s eyes followed up the hand, before landing on the face of Derek. A very real looking Derek.

“Derek? No no no.”

“Isaac, calm down.”

“I can’t do this. Not again,” Isaac choked out, shaking his head in denial. This was just gonna keep happening, wasn’t it? Derek would force his way into his life, then find a reason to toss him aside. And Isaac would be left to face the repercussions from his father. Isaac had absolutely no control over his own life. And he never would. “Get out.”

“Isaac-”

“I don’t want you here! Get out!” Isaac shouted, wrenching his arm away. He felt the sting of his IVs being jostled, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was getting Derek as far away from him as possible.

“Isaac.”

“I want you to go,” Isaac growled, putting as much venom in his voice as he could. It wasn’t much, since it felt like each tear rolling down his face was choking the air out of his lungs, but he needed Derek to hear how serious he was. The night Derek sent him away was sort of a blur, but those words had been seared into his memory. It felt nice to turn them back on him.

“What’s going on in here?” Nurse McCall demanded, bursting into the room with a few other staff trailing in behind her. Isaac didn’t even care that he was probably about to be poked and prodded. As long as Derek wasn’t anywhere near him.

The hospital workers surrounded his bed, blocking Isaac’s view of Derek. Even though it was what he wanted, it was still overwhelming. His body started shaking as he was peppered with questions that his mind couldn’t keep up with. He was just so tired and didn’t want to deal with any of it. So when he saw something being injected into his IV, he didn’t bother trying to fight the pull of the drugs. Maybe when he woke up again, his only company would be his troubled thoughts.

*

Derek was practically bullied out of the chair and shoved to the side of the room by the nurses and doctors surrounding Isaac’s bed. He couldn’t even see more than brief glimpses between bodies now and then. Leaving would’ve been the smart idea. Isaac’s father had been taken care of and Derek got to see with his own eyes that Isaac was going to be okay, but Derek’s feet were frozen in place.

It wasn’t a surprise how Isaac felt about him. Derek felt like shit for what he’d done and it was well deserved. But hearing it vocalized and with such honest pain made it even more real. Derek had run off before having to deal with the consequences of what he’d done, but now they were hitting him full force. Isaac hated him and Derek hated himself too.

After a few minutes, the tension in the room started to leak away. Derek still couldn’t get a good look at Isaac, but he could hear that his breaths had evened out. They must’ve given him a sedative to put him back to sleep, so his body could rest. So Derek couldn’t hurt him anymore. It wasn’t the amends and goodbye that Derek wanted to give him, but it would have to be enough. He was just starting to turn to leave when a vice grip wrapped around his wrist.

“We need to talk,” a woman said firmly. Not any woman, but Scott’s mom. Derek had enough strength that he could’ve pushed her off of him without effort, but for some reason, he was letting himself be dragged from the room and down the hallway, before she deposited him in an empty room and shut the door behind them. What the hell was he doing? “I want the whole story.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” Derek argued. He’d been tortured before and kept his mouth shut. If he didn’t want to talk, he wouldn’t.

“You don’t have to, but you’re going to,” she replied, raising an eyebrow at him. So this was where Scott got his stubborn nature.

“Look, Ma’am-”

“Melissa.”

“Melissa,” Derek repeated, drawing her name out a little and flashing her a charming smile. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“The only misunderstanding is you thinking that smile is going to work on me,” Melissa replied, matching it with one of her own. His track record with it was pretty good, so yeah, he was kind of banking on it. It was cleaner than having to resort to violence. “We’re not leaving this room until I get some answers. And I'd like you to be quick, since I’m still on the clock.”

“Are you serious?” Derek scoffed. That was something he’d do. Why couldn’t she have been bitten instead of her son? She would’ve made a great werewolf. “Fine. I saw the guy I brought in on the side of the road. He told me his son was in the hospital and I wanted to see if he was okay. Now I’m being interrogated for being a good samaritan?” That was close enough to the truth, wasn’t it?

“I don’t believe you. Try again,” Melissa said, cocking her hands on her hips.

“What, you need something juicier to tell the sheriff?” Derek shot back.

“No, I want the truth so I know the best way to help that young man in there,” Melissa snapped, not cowed by Derek in the slightest.

“You care about him?” Derek asked, watching her critically. He’d know if she was lying.

“I do,” she confirmed. Derek didn’t hear any signs of her being dishonest. Maybe Melissa was exactly what Isaac needed. Maybe she could be who Derek couldn’t. Maybe this was his chance to make things right.

“I’ll tell you the truth if you agree to take Isaac in,” Derek proposed. Melissa reared back a little in surprise. It was the first time in their conversation that she seemed caught off guard.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s not like he’ll be able to go back to his dad. He should be with someone who can take care of him. That’s you.” And could never be Derek. “I can give you money to help pay for his expenses.”

“You’re serious,” Melissa stated. It wasn’t a question. She could tell he meant every word he was saying. She had good instincts.

“Yes.” Melissa stood silently for a few moments, contemplating his proposition. Derek knew it was a lot to ask of someone, but there were no other options. If Isaac had been around her enough for her to develop affection toward him, it would be easier for the kid to find a home with her. And Scott and Stiles would be around to help. They could provide him with a real family, instead of whatever Derek was.

“Fine. I agree. But you know that this will still have to go through the proper channels. Social services might not agree to place him with me,” Melissa warned.

“They will,” Derek said confidently. If Melissa could provide a good home for Isaac, it would be less work for them to do. Who was going to fight for a teenage kid? No one had bothered to pay attention to him before.

“Now that that’s settled, I’m ready to hear the whole story,” Melissa demanded. The whole story was complicated, but there had to be a sanitized version that Derek could give her to satisfy her. The werewolf part would be left out obviously. The less than legal things Derek did weren’t bothering him too much, since he could always leave town like he planned all along. What did he have to lose?

“I met Isaac at the cemetery and could tell he was being abused. I found out where he lived and kidnapped him,” Derek said evenly. Succinct and to the point. Melissa blinked a few times in surprise, absorbing the information.

“You kidnapped him?”

“I don’t have a better word for it.” It’s what Isaac said many times. If the shoe fit.

“Go on.”

“I took him to a motel until I could figure out what to do next.”

“A motel? That’s where Scott and I found him.” Derek hadn’t known that and it made him feel sick. Had Isaac been looking for Derek? Could Isaac have died looking for help that wasn’t there? Derek shook that thought away. Isaac was fine now.

“We were there for a few days when Isaac got sick. I tried to take care of him, but he got worse.”

“So you left him alone on the side of the road?” Melissa asked accusingly.

“No! I called Stiles and had him pick Isaac up.” He was definitely leaving the part about how he got Isaac into the jeep out. What he’d said and done still left a sour taste in his mouth.

“Why Stiles?”

“His dad is the sheriff.”

“But how do you know Stiles?” Yeah, a guy in his twenties hanging around a bunch of teenagers wasn’t the best look.

“I met him after my sister was killed and I was dealing with the investigation.” Melissa’s eyes softened a little at hearing that.

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Melissa said sincerely. Derek bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to think of his family. His crap didn’t matter right now. This was about Isaac.

“I thought maybe Isaac would be okay after that. Either his dad would be too worried about people finding out the truth about him, or Isaac would tell someone and be taken away. But that didn’t happen.” It was a pipe dream, but Derek clung to that hope. “When I found out Isaac was in the hospital, I-”

“Nope, I don’t want to hear this part!” Melissa said quickly, holding up her hands to stop him from saying more. “Mr. Lahey confessed to a crime. No need to muddy the waters.” Derek was really starting to like this woman.

“That’s it then. The whole story. Are you going to hold up your end of the bargain?”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Isaac safe with me,” Melissa promised. Derek felt a little bit of the weight fall off his shoulders. He might’ve fucked things up every step of the way, but he’d finally done something right.

“Thank you.”

“If I’d said no to your request, what would you have done?” Melissa asked suddenly, pinning him with her gaze. He knew his answer, but he couldn’t say it. It was what he wanted to do for weeks, but was too much of a coward to. “You would’ve taken him again.” Derek couldn’t argue with the truth.

“I should go.”

“You shouldn’t run off. Once things calm down, I think Isaac will want to talk to you. I think you both need that.”

“I’m pretty sure Isaac hates me and never wants to see me again,” Derek sighed. He really hoped he didn’t sound petulant and whiny. Derek deserved all the hate Isaac had for him. “It’s my fault he’s in here.”

“It’s Isaac’s father’s fault he’s in here,” Melissa said firmly, placing a careful hand on Derek’s arm. It wasn’t like the grip she’d had on him before. This was soft, caring. Derek didn’t know what to do with it. “You were trying to do the right thing. You maybe just went about it in not the best way. Give him time.”

“Right,” Derek mumbled. He didn’t believe her, but he wasn’t going to argue.

“I need to get back to work. And make a lot more phone calls,” Melissa said lightly, patting him on the arm before pulling her hand away. Derek watched her walk to the door where she paused, turning to look at him again. “I can tell you’re a nice boy. Don’t let this experience convince you to stop trying to help people.”

Derek felt his cheeks heat up as she left the room. No one had called him nice before. Maybe when he was a kid and his life hadn’t been molded by loss and pain, but not now. Now he was a loner. A mess. An asshole. He hadn’t helped Isaac because he was a good person, it was to grow his pack. It was to be selfish.

But then why was he still here? Why hadn’t he given up on Isaac the second he’d become more risk than reward? More work than necessary? More of a real person than a prop for Derek to use? But had he ever been just that, or was that Derek lying to himself? Could Scott’s mom, a woman who was a complete stranger to him, see him better than he could see himself? There were a lot of things Derek didn’t know right now and he didn’t know what to do with it all. What he did know was that he was going to stick around town for a little while longer. Not because Melissa told him he should, but because he didn’t have any other plans at the moment. Not because he wanted to make sure Isaac was okay, but because… Derek was running out of lies to tell himself.

Chapter 19: Chapter 19

The next time Isaac woke up, it was to the sound of hushed whispers. He only had a second of panic before he recognized the voices, then his nerves settled. While being alone was ideal, this wasn’t a bad alternative. Over the past few weeks, he’d gained a couple of people he could depend on. That was a nice feeling.

“Hey,” Isaac mumbled, turning his head toward the voices without opening his eyes.

“Isaac! Are you awake?” Scott exclaimed.

“Dude, he just spoke. I think that’s a pretty good sign that he’s awake,” Stiles scoffed. Despite the circumstances, Isaac couldn’t help smiling a little. He liked being on the sidelines of their banter. Isaac preferred listening to talking, so he didn’t mind when Stiles went on one of his tangents and Scott added his input whenever he could get a word in.

“I’m awake,” Isaac confirmed, finally opening his eyes. He squinted at the bright lights, before Scott adjusted them to make them dimmer. He hummed in appreciation.

“How do you feel?” Scott asked, smoothing out one of the blankets to give his hands something to do.

“Like shit,” Isaac grunted, answering honestly. The drugs were taking the edge off the pain, but it was still there. It was probably what woke him up, but he didn’t want more to take him back under until he could at least find out how screwed he was now. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?” Scott asked, wincing at the thought. Maybe Isaac could claim amnesia and say he forgot the past few years of his life. If only that were true.

“I remember getting my ass kicked. Then ending up at the motel. I have no idea how I got here. Or what’s wrong with me this time.”

“Well, you’re going to be okay. I want to make sure you know that right off the bat,” Scott said quickly.

“Okay, good.”

“Let’s see, grade one concussion, four stitches at your hairline, a plethora of bruised and cracked ribs, and surgery to fix a tear in your spleen,” Stiles listed off, standing at the end of the bed with a clipboard in his hand.

“Dude,” Scott chastised.

“What? He deserves to know. No use dragging it out,” Stiles said defensively.

“You didn’t have to say it like that,” Scott argued.

“It’s fine,” Isaac huffed, rolling his eyes. “No use trying to sugarcoat shit. It’s still shit.”

“I’m really sorry this happened,” Scott said softly.

“It’s my fault. I knew this was gonna happen eventually,” Isaac admitted. No matter what his dad said or did, it was always gonna come back to this. The beatings weren’t always this bad, but this had been built up after extraordinary circumstances. “He wanted me to tell him where I was. Obviously, I couldn’t. It wouldn’t have mattered if I told the truth though. He still would’ve been pissed.”

“How did you get away?”

“Kicked him in the knee,” Isaac replied with a smirk. He’d definitely be paying for that soon, but he didn’t care. His dad would never forget the time Isaac fought back and got away. Isaac’s win/loss record was abysmal, but he was still on the board. “Then I ran. Didn’t know where I was going until I was back at that damn motel.”

“You could’ve come to me. Or Stiles. You know that, right?”

“I do. But me after getting my head smashed into the wall apparently didn’t.” Scott winced at that. “Sorry.”

“I’m glad you called me. If you hadn’t…” Scott trailed off, looking a bit sick.

“That bad?”

“Internal bleeding is usually bad, yes,” Stiles commented.

“I think that’s a new one for me.”

“Thank goodness I had my mom with me. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if she wasn’t there.”

“Shit,” Isaac groaned. Obviously Scott’s mom would know what happened to him, since she worked at the hospital. But he didn’t like the idea that she’d seen him in that state. Too many people had seen Isaac vulnerable and that was hard to accept, after so many years of hiding the truth. “So, she knows?”

“Not the details, but yeah. She figured it out.”

“My dad is gonna kill me,” Isaac muttered. Stiles and Scott exchanged quick looks that told Isaac he was missing something. “What is it?”

“So, there’s something we haven’t told you,” Scott started hesitantly.

“I called Derek!” Stiles blurted out, fidgeting where he stood. “He told me before that he left town, but I figured he needed to know what happened.”

“He was here, the last time I woke up,” Isaac sighed, flashing back to what he thought had been a hallucination. He hadn’t really let Derek get a word in edgewise, if he was even planning on saying anything meaningful. Isaac probably wouldn’t have believed it either way. “I yelled at him to leave.”

“So that’s why I saw him sneaking out of the hospital like a kicked puppy earlier,” Stiles nodded.

“I can’t let him back into my life. Not so he can decide it’s too hard again and send me back to my dad.” Scott and Stiles shared another look and it was putting Isaac on edge. “Just tell me whatever it is that you guys are hiding.”

“You tell him,” Scott mumbled, flicking his eyes at Stiles before staring down at his lap.

“So, when Derek got to the hospital, he wasn’t alone,” Stiles said, looking unusually uneasy.

“Okay?” Isaac pressed, wanting the band aid ripped off. If Stiles had no problem listing off his injuries, this must be bad. Maybe Derek had found a pack? That wouldn’t be so bad, in Isaac’s opinion. Unless they decided to stay in town. That had the potential to be awkward.

“He was with your dad.” Of all the things Isaac expected to hear, that hadn’t even been on the list. His brain immediately went to the worst case scenarios, no matter how outlandish they were. Was this all planned out? Had Derek and his dad been working together this whole time, just to torment him? Did Derek meet his dad after everything, but was convinced that Isaac deserved all the pain he’d been given? Would Scott and Stiles turn on him too?

“Isaac, breathe,” Scott said in his ear suddenly, cupping Isaac’s face between his hands. “If you freak out, they’ll kick us out of the room.”

“What? What?” Isaac choked out, sucking in a harsh breath when he felt his chest start to burn. He jerked away from Scott’s grasp, wishing he could jump out of the bed and run away. “Why? Why was he with him?”

“Well-”

“Did he turn my dad into a werewolf?” The thought of his dad being that much stronger made Isaac want to throw up and die. He’d never survive that.

“No! Of course not!” Scott denied vehemently.

“Then what?”

“Derek beat the crap out of him!” Stiles whisper-yelled. Isaac’s jaw dropped a little in shock. Stiles walked around to the side of the bed, crouching down next to Scott. “The official story is that your dad got into an accident.”

“No one is going to believe that. I’ll probably get blamed for this. My dad will definitely point the finger at me.”

“Your dad is the one who said it was an accident. And that he needed to confess to a crime,” Stiles said, raising his eyebrows. “Now, I don’t know your dad, but unless he’s the type to commit a lot of crimes, I think we can guess what he was talking about.”

“He wouldn’t do that. Why would he do that?”

“I’m assuming it’s the result of some very powerful persuasion, if you know what I mean.”

“The orderlies took your dad away before he said anything else. And Derek wouldn’t talk to us while we were in the waiting room,” Scott said.

“I texted my dad what was up, but he hasn’t told me anything yet. He probably couldn’t take your dad’s statement in his condition.”

“His condition? Was it that bad?”

“They had to take him into surgery,” Scott confirmed with a wince.

“I need to see him.”

“What? Isaac-”

“I need to see him,” Isaac repeated with more force. He had to see for himself.

“Dude, you just got out of surgery yourself. I don’t think you should be going anywhere.”

“Scott, I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong with my legs,” Isaac argued. He’d run from his house to the motel while he was actively dying. Now that he was fixed, it would be fine.

“But-”

“You have a catheter in,” Stiles said bluntly.

“Shit,” Isaac groaned, closing his eyes in resignation. That was a problem. “Either of you know how to take it out?”

“We might be bros now, but we’re not that close,” Stiles snorted.

“I just- I need to see him. I can’t explain it, but I do,” Isaac said imploringly. He hated depending on anyone, but he needed their help. Scott and Stiles looked at each other, having a silent conversation. Stiles seemed more willing to break some rules, but Scott was more wary.

“Wheelchair?” Stiles proposed. Isaac hated the thought of looking weak like that in front of his father, but it was probably his only option. And the possibility of tripping and falling and ripping his catheter out was not one he wanted to entertain.

“Let’s do it,” Isaac agreed.

“If we get caught, I’m going to claim I was acting under duress,” Scott warned, moving to the corner of the room to grab the wheelchair that was sitting there.

“I’ll take all the blame,” Isaac assured him, pushing back the covers that were laying on top of him. He was in one of those backless hospital gowns which wasn’t ideal, but a blanket could protect his modesty. Scott helped him into the chair, while Stiles kept all the tubes and wires from getting tangled. Isaac was panting and shaky by the time he was settled. The surgery took more out of him than he realized.

“Are you sure you want to do this? You can always wait a little longer,” Scott offered.

“No, I can do this,” Isaac said in determination. He never thought he’d be able to escape his dad during one of his rampages, but he had. This was no big deal. Just confronting the man who’d made his life a living hell for years.

“Here we go,” Stiles mumbled, peeking his head out the door to check if the coast was clear. After a few seconds, he waved them forward. Scott pushed Isaac along in the wheelchair, trying to look casual. Probably too casual, but Isaac appreciated the effort.

“Do you know where he is?” Isaac asked quietly.

“I have a few ideas,” Scott replied, pointing Stiles toward a hallway. Thank goodness Scott knew his way around the place. Before these past few weeks, Isaac was fortunate to only have experience in the family medicine section, besides a few sporadic trips to the emergency room. Of course it was only because lacrosse was so dangerous. Even in the off season.

They searched for a few more minutes before Stiles stopped outside of one of the rooms and immediately blanched. He didn’t have to say anything for Isaac to know they’d found his father. His confidence in his decision started to wane now that he’d reached his goal. Was this a mistake? Should he turn around and forget this ever happened?

“You ready?” Scott asked.

“Yes,” Isaac replied quickly. He couldn’t let his nerves get the better of him. Stiles silently opened the door, letting Scott push him into the room. The second Isaac saw his father, he gasped. This wasn’t what he’d been expecting.

When you were tormented by a bully for years, they became larger than life in your head. Some big obstacle that was insurmountable. But right now, his dad was broken. And he looked smaller than Isaac could ever remember him looking. This was his monster?

“You okay?” Scott whispered, setting a hand on his shoulder. Isaac nodded blankly, unable to force out the words. Scott parked him beside the bed, but not close enough to touch. It wasn’t like Isaac was going to hold his dad’s hand, especially with the state they were in.

“Do you want me to…” Stiles trailed off, gesturing to the clipboard at the end of the bed. Isaac nodded again, bracing himself for the details. “Concussion, fractured jaw, broken cheekbone, multiple broken ribs, torn meniscus, a few missing teeth, dozens of stitches.”

“Holy crap,” Scott mumbled.

“Should I keep going?”

“Yes,” Isaac insisted.

“There are a lot of notes in here about his hands. Stuff about reconstructive surgery, extensive rehab, and loss of function.” That explained the weird cages his hands were in, keeping them completely immobile.

“Wow,” Isaac whispered. The things that had caused him so much harm were possibly broken beyond repair. Would they ever be able to shove him into a freezer again? Or throw things at him? Or mark his skin? “Wow.”

“Are you okay? Do you want to go back to your room?” Scott asked.

“Do you think you could give me a minute?” Isaac felt like he was teetering on the edge of a breakdown and he didn’t particularly want an audience for it. He was caught between feeling horrified by the state of his father and vindictively satisfied by it. It was confusing and overwhelming and everything he couldn’t quite define.

“I don’t-”

“We’ll be right outside,” Stiles said, dragging a reluctant Scott to the door. As soon as it closed behind them, Isaac let out the shaky breath he’d been holding. What was this going to mean for him? If that confession that was mentioned didn’t pan out, would Isaac be expected to be his father’s caretaker for the rest of his life? Had Derek sentenced him to a life of verbal abuse, instead of physical? And if he did go to prison, where would Isaac go? He didn’t have resources or family. Once again, his life was thrown into turmoil by Derek Hale.

A soft noise from the bed snapped Isaac out of his musings. He looked up, watching as his dad started shifting around slightly. Isaac wasn’t ready for his dad to be awake, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t even call out for Scott to take him away. Isaac just sat in silence as his dad slowly blinked open his eyes and stared at the ceiling. It took a few seconds for his dad to realize someone else was in the room, before he turned his head in what looked like a painful move.

“Isaac?” he slurred, staring at him with a pitiful gaze. And it was like all the misguided sympathy in Isaac’s body instantly dried up. He didn’t feel anything for the man who was lying broken in front of him. He didn’t deserve it.

“Why?”

“What?” he mumbled, looking confused.

“All these years, why? Why did you do it?” Isaac pressed, keeping his voice even. He was not going to let this man see another tear from him. “What was so bad about me? Why couldn’t you love me?”

“Son-”

“Don’t call me that! Don’t you dare!” Isaac hissed, gripping the arms of his wheelchair. “A real father wouldn’t treat his son the way you have.”

“It was a mistake.”

“A mistake?” Isaac scoffed, shaking his head incredulously. “Years of beatings and yelling and locking me up was a mistake?”

“After your mom and-and Cam-”

“I lost them too! Can’t you see that? We’re all that’s left and instead of supporting each other, you turn on me? Why?” Isaac needed to hear a real reason. A real justification as to why he deserved everything he’d been put through. “Tell me why.”

“I don’t know.” Isaac deflated, staring at his father in complete apathy. He knew he’d never get what he needed from this man. Even being beaten half to death couldn’t lead him to introspection. He was a lost cause and Isaac couldn’t have him in his life anymore.

“We’re never going to see each other again. You’re going to confess to what you’ve done and let the courts decide what to do with you. I’m not your son and you’re not my father. And if you ever try anything with me again, I’ll finish what was started,” Isaac said firmly, meaning every word he’d said. He was not going to be a victim again. Even if he ended up dying alone in a gutter, it was going to be his choice, no one else’s.

Isaac painfully turned his chair around and rolled to the door, ignoring his dad’s weak calls. It was too late for amends or forgiveness, if he even had the self-awareness to realize he should be begging for it. Never once had an apology crossed his lips.

The door opened before Isaac could reach it, revealing a stone faced Scott and Stiles. They probably heard everything, but Isaac didn’t care. Scott wordlessly moved behind him, taking up his previous position and wheeling him back to his room. None of them said anything during the walk.

“Let’s get you back into your bed,” Scott said softly as he parked the wheelchair. Isaac closed his eyes and shook his head. He was mentally and physically exhausted and the thought of trying to lift himself back into the hospital bed was enough to tip him over the edge. Isaac bit the inside of his lip in embarrassment as he felt the tears streaming down his face. At least this hadn’t happened in front of his father.

“It’s okay. You can let it out. This is a safe space,” Stiles said seriously. Isaac let out a sound that was half sob, half laugh, caught between the ridiculousness of it all. Scott’s hand moved to rest supportively on his shoulder as Isaac let out everything he’d been holding back for years. Some of it had come out in the hotel with Derek, but these tears were signifying the true end to everything.

Chapter 20: Chapter 20

“Easy does it. We’re almost there,” Ms. McCall said, hovering in front of them as they walked up the couple steps leading to the front door of the house. Scott was tucked into his side, helping keep him steady. Even though it had been a few days since his surgery and the hospital deemed him healthy enough to be released, he was still exhausted and shaky. Physical and emotional turmoil would do that to a person.

Isaac still couldn’t quite wrap his mind around how much had changed in his life in such a short amount of time. After years of being stuck in the same cycle with his father, this was like a whirlwind. Ever since he met Derek in the cemetery, his life was chaos.

After getting back into the hospital bed, following his confrontation with his father, Isaac had passed out again for a few hours. When he woke up, Ms. McCall was at his bedside. He thought she was there to do her job and check his vitals or something, but that was far from the reason. To Isaac’s complete shock, she told him she’d been granted emergency custody over him, pending a few things that Isaac didn’t hear. The second she said that he was going to be staying with her family indefinitely, he’d passed out again. It was very dramatic and embarrassing, but who could blame him? Hearing that someone wanted him was like hearing he’d won the lottery. It was everything he’d ever wanted, but never thought he’d get.

The rest of his days in the hospital were spent healing. Isaac figured everyone was nervous to stress him out and impede the process, so all heavy conversations were put on hold. He appreciated it, since he was terrible at those, even while fully healthy. The McCalls seemed like the type to have long, heartfelt discussions, so he was sure the reprieve wouldn’t last for long.

“I’m gonna put you on the couch for a few days, if that’s alright? I don’t like the idea of you going up and down the stairs. Since there is a bathroom and the kitchen on this floor, it makes the most sense,” Ms. McCall said, as if he would complain about anything. He’d sleep on the floor in the corner like a pet dog if that’s what they wanted. It would still be a step up from what he was used to.

“That’s fine,” Isaac agreed. Scott helped lower him onto the couch. The cushions felt like heaven after days of sleeping on a firm hospital bed. Isaac sighed, feeling his blinks going sluggish again.

“I’ll let you get some rest,” Ms. McCall said, draping a blanket over him.

“I’m sorry I’m being so lazy. I can do whatever chores you want me to do,” Isaac said, trying to rouse himself. The drugs in his system were not helping his energy level, but they wouldn’t stop him from earning his keep. He’d never be able to repay the McCalls for taking him in, but he’d do everything in his power to make their lives better in any way he could.

“Lazy? Isaac, you’re healing. That’s your only job. And you don’t owe me anything,” Ms. McCall insisted, kneeling down next to him.

“But-”

“Do you really want to make me happy?”

“Yes,” Isaac answered quickly.

“Then rest. You’ve been through a lot and you deserve the chance to settle and not worry about anything. When you’re all healed up, we can talk about which chores you’d like to split with Scott.” Isaac wanted to argue, but he held his tongue. Putting up too much of a fuss might make her angry, no matter how understanding she was. He would follow her direction until he was stronger, then try again.

“Okay,” Isaac agreed reluctantly.

“Good!” Ms. McCall said brightly, patting him on the knee as she straightened up. “I’m gonna go whip up something light for lunch. Scott, try not to keep Isaac up. He needs his rest.”

“I won’t, Mom,” Scott assured her, waiting until she was out of the room before flopping down onto the coffee table in front of the couch. “Dude, how are you really feeling?”

“Sore. And tired as hell,” Isaac confessed, letting himself burrow into the couch. It was easier to let Scott see some of his weakness, since he’d already seen so much of it. Helping a guy make sure the pee tube in his dick was straightened out sort of bonded you. “You might have to get a new couch, if I never get up.”

“I’ll carry you up the stairs.”

“You will not carry me up the stairs.”

“I could totally carry you up the stairs.”

“I will fling myself out the window before I let you carry me anywhere.”

“Sure,” Scott smirked.

“I’m too tired for this,” Isaac grumbled, turning his face into the pillow so Scott couldn’t see he was trying to hide a smile. Their back and forth kind of reminded him of Cam, before his brother became too cool to hang out with his younger sibling. Isaac knew he wasn’t really a part of this family, but if he tried hard he could sort of pretend.

“You should try to get some rest. My mom barred Stiles from coming over for a couple hours while we got you settled in, but he won’t stay away for long. Then you won’t get any sleep.”

“Can’t wait,” Isaac mumbled. He really did like when both Scott and Stiles were around, since they seemed to fall back into their normal relationship without even noticing. When it was just one or the other with him, they tended to focus on him too much and Isaac still bristled under the attention. He was much more comfortable being a background character.

Isaac wasn't sure how much time had passed when Ms. McCall came back into the room with a tray of food. It was just scrambled eggs and toast, but it looked mouthwatering compared to what he'd gotten in the hospital. He shoved as much as he could stand in his mouth in a half awake stupor, at least having the wherewithal to thank her for her kindness when he stopped to breathe.

Both McCalls took it all in stride, casually chatting with each other and filling the room with pleasant background noise. It was so much better than the stifling silence that usually accompanied meals with his father. But even that was better than when Isaac’s mere existence riled him to a point of uncontrollable anger.

The thought of his father turned his stomach a little and Isaac wasn't sure he could eat anymore, lest he risk it making a reappearance. He pushed the remains of his lunch away, fully planning on cleaning up his mess as soon as he digested a little. But then his eyes got heavier and heavier and someone nudged him back onto his side on the couch. He was powerless to the pull of sleep, making note of one more thing he had to repay the McCalls for, just as soon as he could get off this couch.

*

“This is wildly inappropriate and so uncalled for!” Isaac jerked awake at the sound of yelling and for a second, he was convinced that the past some odd days had been a dream and he was still on his kitchen floor, waiting for another kick. But the yell was too feminine to be his dad and what he was laying on was too soft to be the floor. He blinked his eyes open sluggishly, trying to figure out what was going on.

The front door wasn’t too far from where he was laying, so he tipped his now pounding head back to see what all the commotion was. Ms. McCall was standing in the doorway, looking more formidable than her petite stature implied. Scott was standing behind her, looking equal parts worried and furious. Isaac couldn’t tell what was going on, until another voice reached his ears.

“That’s not for you to decide.” Isaac felt his stomach drop. He thought with everything that happened, he’d never have to see this man again. But when had Isaac ever gotten what he wanted?

“Noah, do something.”

“I'm sorry, but the state has taken over the case. It's out of my hands,” Isaac heard Sheriff Stilinski say from just out of sight. What case? This was all supposed to be over.

“If you impede this process, it won't look good for your emergency custody situation,” Detective Hoffman warned, although it sounded more like a threat to Isaac. He couldn't let these amazing people who'd been kind enough to help him suffer any consequences. Not if there was something he could do.

“Ms. McCall?” Isaac called out quietly. Her head snapped over to him in surprise. Her eyes were fiery, but they softened when they made contact. “It's okay.”

“See. The young man is old enough to speak for himself,” Detective Hoffman said roughly, bullying his way into the house. It looked like he was close to shoving Ms. McCall out of the doorway and Scott looked poised to strike, but his mom’s hand on his arm stopped him. If only she knew how much damage he could actually do.

Isaac painfully tried to pull himself into a seated position, feeling too vulnerable laying down. He curled an arm around his aching stomach, trying to hide how much the movement was hurting him. His last dose of painkillers had been taken hours ago, before he left the hospital. But Isaac didn’t dare ask for more now. They made him too tired and he needed to stay on his game as much as possible around the detective.

“Let me help you,” Ms. McCall offered, moving toward the couch.

“I’ll do it!” Scott insisted, rushing past her. He grabbed a jacket that was hanging next to the door on the way, shrugging it on as he walked to Isaac’s side. Isaac was confused, but didn’t question it as Scott stood behind the couch, easing him upright. The reason for the jacket made sense once Scott placed his hand on the back of Isaac’s neck and he could feel the pain slowly leaving his body.
His mind was flooded with memories of Derek doing the same for him in the motel room that first morning. He’d been terrified, but he’d had a cocky werewolf telling him things were going to be different. The road to a different life had been bumpy, but he’d gotten there eventually. There was no way he was going to lose it now that it was in his grasp.

“If you’ll excuse us, I need to talk to Mr. Lahey alone,” Detective Hoffman said, looking around at everyone in the room. Isaac glanced around as well, finding everyone but the detective standing around him protectively. Even Stiles, who he hadn’t noticed before. Isaac felt more cared for than he’d ever remembered.

“No way!” Scott denied vehemently, gripping even tighter to Isaac. The hold might’ve hurt, but the pain was being pulled out before it could register. Either way, it made Isaac feel more secure.

“He’s not being accused of any crimes, is he? This is just a conversation?” Sheriff Stilinski questioned. At Detective Hoffman’s reluctant nod, he continued. “I think it’s up to Isaac who is in the room with him.” Isaac was so used to taking on everything on his own. Living in secret because being seen was dangerous. But now there was a group of people, who honestly barely even knew him, willing to stand beside him for a problem they never should've had to deal with. Even though his body was weaker than it had ever been, he'd never felt stronger.

“They stay,” Isaac insisted, drawing on some of the swagger that Derek always tried to aim for, but rarely ever hit. He'd stood up to his father while they were both fresh out of surgery. He could do this too.

Detective Hoffman looked annoyed, but didn't argue further. He sat down on the coffee table in front of Isaac, ignoring Ms. McCall’s huff of annoyance at the misuse of her furniture. Scott stayed where he was, while Stiles and his father were off to the side a little. Stiles was fidgeting around, but that was normal for him, so Isaac ignored it.

“I saw your father in the hospital,” Detective Hoffman said, looking down and shaking his head. Isaac's mind flashed back to the sight of his father lying broken in his bed, unable to inflict anymore damage. “He wasn't doing well.”

“I know,” Isaac replied evenly.

“There was talk of possibly having to amputate his hands.” That almost cut through Isaac’s cool demeanor, but probably not in the way Detective Hoffman wanted it to. He kept his face blank, but Isaac felt the same horrified relief he’d felt when he saw the remains of his father’s hands in that hospital bed. The hands that had caused him so much harm could be headed to a bin of medical waste. “Have you been by to see him? I know he’d really love to see you.” There was a poorly muffled snort that sounded like Stiles in response to that statement and Isaac had to agree.

“I’ve spoken to my father already. I don’t think there’s much else to say.”

“I know there was a lot of chaos and confusion the past few days, with both of you in the hospital. But there is still a chance to make things right.”

“Make things right?”

“Some things were said when he arrived at the hospital, but that can be put aside due to his condition. And since he’s been incapacitated, he hasn’t given any formal statements at this time,” Detective Hoffman explained. Isaac glanced over at Sheriff Stilinski. The man was silently seething, so he figured the detective was telling the truth about that. “You’re better now. If you could just tell us that this was a misunderstanding-”

“A misunderstanding?!” Ms. McCall shouted, balling her fists up like she was about to attack the man. Scott must’ve thought the same thing, because he immediately moved to his mother’s side, grabbing her shoulders. Isaac felt a bit alone now that he didn’t have Scott’s constant touch, but the pain hadn’t returned, so he could deal. “How dare you say what he did was a misunderstanding?”

“You weren’t a witness to anything, so what you think doesn’t matter,” Detective Hoffman snapped. “This is a conversation between myself and Isaac, not any of you. And I know he’s going to do the right thing, just like he did before.”

“I was going to tell the truth before,” Isaac said quietly, staring straight into Detective Hoffman’s eyes. “I was finally going to tell someone about my dad hurting me, but you stopped me. You made it sound like I was doing something wrong by not accepting my dad’s abuse anymore.”

“Abuse? That’s a loaded term.”

“And internal bleeding is a loaded injury,” Isaac shot back. Isaac was not going to let this man downplay what he’d dealt with for years. And he wasn’t going to let shame stop him from speaking his truth. Even though no one knew all the details of what he’d gone through, they knew enough to know it was bad. But they hadn’t shunned him. They hadn’t tried to convince him that it was his fault. The people in this room had stuck by him and he was starting to trust that they would remain, even if he had to bare his soul.

“I never stopped you from saying anything,” Detective Hoffman argued, shaking his head like he was disappointed. “I thought we had a good conversation. I opened up to you about the loses we shared-”

“Your son.”

“That’s right. Michael.”

“Detective, do you have other children?” The man twitched a little in confusion.

“I do,” he confirmed hesitantly. “A son and a daughter.”

“I bet it was hard for them as well. Losing a brother.”

“It was. It still is. But we got through it together. If you and your father-”

“Do you tell them that they should’ve been the ones to die instead of Michael?” If the room was quiet before, the silence was absolutely deafening now. It was like everyone was holding their breath, shocked by the question Isaac had just asked. Honestly, he was shocked himself. He’d never planned on telling all the dirty details if he could get away with being vague, but the detective needed to hear this. If not for his own sake, then for the sake of other people he encountered in his line of work who were in similar situations.

“I would never say that,” Detective Hoffman eventually forced out of a tight throat.

“It was one of my dad’s favorite lines. He paired it with other things, like he was ashamed to have me as a son, I was worthless, I’d never amount to anything, and so on. But that one was the worst. You know why?” Hoffman gave the barest shake of his head. “Because I believed him. Every day he convinced me that I was the problem and everyone would be better off if I was the one gone.”

“Isaac, no,” Ms. McCall said quietly, staring at him with watery eyes. Isaac shot her a sad smile, appreciating how much she cared about something so far out of her control. No one ever knew because Isaac was too scared to ask for help. He’d known he ran the risk of ending up confiding in someone like Detective Hoffman.

“It’s hard not to believe something when the person you’re supposed to be able to trust beats that lesson into you. I thought he’d eventually realize what he was doing was wrong and stop. I held out hope that things could go back to the way they were. Because through all of the beatings and harsh words, I never stopped loving him,” Isaac said, pausing when he voice started to crack. He cleared his throat, swiping a quick hand across his eyes. “I still do, despite everything.”

“You do?” Detective Hoffman asked, without all the confidence he’d come in with.

“I do. No matter how much I try to convince myself that there is nothing left inside of me for him anymore, there is. And I think there always will be,” Isaac confessed. He’d told his dad he was done with him in the hospital and that was still the right call, but he couldn’t say with complete certainty that somewhere down the line that wouldn’t change. In a world where a werewolf pulled him out of a hole, anything was possible. “But I’m not going to lie for him anymore. I’m not going to tell you that everything was a misunderstanding or accident or whatever else you come up with. He doesn’t deserve anything I’m not willing to give him and I’m not willing to give him anything. For the first time in my life, I’m choosing myself.”

“Yeah,” Scott cheered under his breath, while Stiles made a little whooping sound.

“I get it if you’re still on his side. He’s good at putting on an act when he wants to. And I’m not sure where that leaves me in this situation, but please take any anger you have out on me and not Ms. McCall. Even if I don’t get to stay with her anymore, she’s been so good to me. She doesn’t deserve to be dragged down into my mess.”

“Nothing about you is a mess,” Ms. McCall insisted, nudging aside Scott and moving over to squat in front of him. She blocked his view of the detective and cupped his cheeks in her warm hands. Isaac leaned into the touch, just in case it was the last time he'd get the chance to feel it. “And I know you don't know me too well yet, but I'm not the type to give up. When I want something, I fight for it. And I want you.” Isaac wished he could live in this moment forever. A moment where everything was okay and the outside world didn’t exist or matter. Where the only hands that touched him did so with care.

His dreamy bubble was popped when Detective Hoffman suddenly stood up, hovering over them. After years of instinct beaten into him by his dad, Isaac couldn’t quite suppress his flinch, closing his eyes and hunching up to prepare for pain. But instead of pain, Isaac was cradled against a chest with strong arms wrapped protectively around his body.

“I-”

“I think we’re done here,” Ms. McCall hissed before the detective could say more. “If you have anything else to say, you can call my lawyer.” Even though Isaac was still shaky from this recent adrenaline rush, he still smiled a little. He was pretty sure the McCalls didn’t have a lawyer, but she sounded believable enough that no one in their right mind would question her. Isaac was ready to trust anything she said.

“That won’t be necessary,” Detective Hoffman replied, walking toward the front door. Isaac lifted his head to look at him, finding guilt and regret written all over his face. He couldn’t help feeling sympathy for the guy, even though he’d helped do so much damage. Isaac knew what it was like to put his faith in the wrong person. At least in his case, he was the only one who suffered for it. “I didn’t-”

“I’ll see you at the station,” Sheriff Stilinski said, cutting him off before he could offer any justification. The detective nodded, leaving the house without another word. The second the door closed behind him, Isaac let out a long breath, slumping forward into Ms. McCall’s embrace again.

“You are so strong,” Ms. McCall murmured into his hair. He didn’t feel like it, but he wouldn’t argue. He’d used up all his fight for a while.

“I’ll be going to his superiors about this,” Sheriff Stilinski said gravely.

“You think this video I took will help?” Stiles asked cockily, flashing his cell phone.

“Dude, that’s why you were being all twitchy?” Scott laughed.

“It was a covert operation, Scott! I had to look unassuming!”

“Standing still is more unassuming,” Scott pointed out.

“I didn’t get caught, did I?” Stiles shot back. Isaac smiled again, losing himself in the familiar banter. He was glad that his friends were going on as normal, instead of focusing on the pain Isaac had just laid out in front of them. It was dangerous to hope, but it felt like the last bit of his old life was finally behind him. The mental bit would probably stick with him forever, but now he had a chance to learn to live with it. All the loose ends were finally being tied up.

Except for one.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 3 of How It Could've Started