Requiem

by Little_Bites

Summary:

Another reshuffle. Will this one stick? History comes back with a bite.

Alpha? Mate? Human? Wolf? Dead? Alive? Mortality? Morality?

Notes:

This may be the last piece for this series. Thank you for sticking around to this point <3

The chapter has been expanded a bit due to my realizing I did not post the last bit of the chapter properly the first time.

Chapter 1: Another beginning

The Countess came closer to him, taking a good long look. “I will take mercy on you since I see as you do what is happening to you right now. You want reality returned? I will do it, as long as you swear to kill Kate Argent—for good. Once she’s truly dead, unable to be resurrected, bury her body amongst the roots of the Nemeton. A debt is owed!’

The Countess reached out both her hands, placing one on Stiles’ hand that grasps at his heart while laying the other on the hand Isaac had on Stiles to help keep himself upright on his knees. “Derek’s fate and Kate’s are entwined.”

Stiles reached out his hand that was not grasping at his heart to grip the Countess’ arm. “Those that died, are dying or dead in this reality and the other…”

Once again seemingly taking mercy upon the dying teen, the Countess Elizabeth Bathory said, “They will live. I will take your offerings, and individually, I will address the price for those who have something to give… and later… you’ll see the price for you, the ones you love, and those you’ve saved.”

Then everything went black before becoming a blinding white.

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Feeling a cool breeze brushing accross his chest, Peter started to really focus on all that he could sense. He could smell wild grasses, pollen… and pack… Stiles, Derek, Lydia, and even non pack like Scott.

Peter then took a personal inventory of his body, how his limbs and other parts felt. It did not feel like he was wounded. He didn’t feel his body healing or even itchy, which could be left over after extensive healing at times. He felt fine physically.

Then, Peter tried to think back to the last thing that had happened. The last thing Peter remembered was seeing Deucalion’s eyes staring into Peter’s as they both silently said good-bye after Deuc had been impaled by a pike. They had been fighting Gerard’s men!

With all that he had gathered, Peter had to ask himself: was Stiles okay? Was Peter dead? Was he going to see Talia again? His child? His wife? Was Stiles okay?

Unwilling to dwell too much in his own mind since he’d had more than enough of that in his coma, Peter slowly cracked open his eyes. He saw a bright blue sky above him with a few small whisps of clouds.

Aware he was lying on his back; Peter watched the sky for a moment while taking a second inventory of himself. Again, there seemed to be nothing wrong. Slowly, Peter sat up to look around himself.

Peter was quite shocked: almost everyone was there. The Alpha pack, the original pack, the false reality pack, all the pack adjacent from both forms as well as some outliers like Malia and Levander, the latter looking impatient as he sat on the Nemeton stump beside Tunstall and Alister.

Next, thinking again, Peter checked within for the Nogitsune: hello?

The Demon fox cackled at being checked on: do you really think a fox would agree to a plan that would rid them of their vessel?

Not up for a battle of wits or sarcasm just yet, Peter asked instead: did it work?

The Nogitsune took a moment before saying, it appears as though it has from where we sit.

Nodding, Peter looked around again, seeking Deucalion and Stiles. He needed to know they were okay. Next would be Cora and Derek.

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Stiles, the moment he regained consciousness, grabbed at his chest to affect the pain. It was the last thing he’d physically been experiencing, and his body instinctively sought to continue. However, his movement was stilted with the realization that the pain was gone.

Sitting up quickly, Stiles looked around himself to find so many around him. He was in the preserve still, but almost everyone from all three packs, pack adjacent, and some others were all there too! Even Scott’s dad was here!

Speaking of dad’s, Stiles searched out the waking people all around the clearing until he saw his father slowly sitting up with a groan. Stiles wasted no time, scrambling to his feet. He raced to his dad while careful not to step on anyone along the way.

Not waiting for attempting words or anything else, Stiles dropped down to the ground beside his dad and gave the man a Stilinski bear hug.

Although his father seemed startled, Stiles couldn’t pull back just yet to check on the man. Just seeing him at first and now feeling the older man in his arms was a balm to the wound that had festered in the false reality from the hole left by his “dead” Dad.

Stiles felt his own tear ducts pour like faucet into his father’s shoulder.

Noah groaned at the tightness of the embrace but held his son no less firmly.

Even as he hugged his father, Stiles could see Allison up and running to her father, Chris Argent who was openly tearful as he held a clearly distraught Victoria Argent to him firmly.

Although he knew he chould be worried about who else was there, Stiles chose to just enjoy this one moment, holding his Dad and knowing the man was alive. There were other important things too, but he needed this.

Soon, Noah pulled back, looking tearfully into his son’s eyes. “I knew you’d save us!”

Stiles nodded, unable to form much in the way of words just yet at confidence his father had in him.

Before he could recover words, Stiles was pulled up from behind and turned around into a hug by Peter.

Peter was also being hugged from the back by Deucalion.

Once the wolves had broken up the hug, Stiles opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a sharp punch to the face that busted his nose from Ennis.

The grown man was visibly furious, shoving Stiles to the ground. “You fucked me over!”

Stiles rolled once he hit the ground. With that bought space from Ennis that Stiles used to scramble to his feet and back up further.

Deucalion and Peter stepped between Ennis and Stiles.

Peter demanded in a growl, “What’re you doing?!”

Ennis bared his teeth—“He made me human! I’m not a wolf anymore!”

Stiles pulled off his own shirt to soak up some blood from his nose even as his Dad and Mel approached him.

Mel had Stiles move the shirt to re-position his nose.

Stiles nodded to her in thanks, then addressed Ennis. “You’re alive though, right?”

Ennis yelled, “But not the same!”

Stiles sighed. “Look, you heard her. The Countess said there would be consequences. There would be a price for those saved, not killed. I guess that was the price taken for you. Does anyone else notice anything off or wrong or unusual?”

Peter looked at Stiles, “Your scars are changed.”

Hearing Peter’s words, Stiles looked down at his chest and arm: while he still had all of his scars like before, the names were topped with inked lines to clarify the names upon him, or so it appeared. Stiles had no words, his mouth left hanging open.

Kali growled then howled in anger. “My Alpha spark is gone!”

Stiles then looked around, saying, “Eyes, everyone!”

In response, all of the wolves flashed their eyes, revealing that Stiles, Peter, Deuc, Derek. Ethan and Aiden all had Alpha sparks but no one else did.”

Kira, upon getting up and rubbing the back of her head, flashed her eyes too.

Stiles then looked within himself to check if he still had a wolf within: yes, Ennis’ wolf was curled around him mentally, within. Looking to Peter, Stiles asked, “Nogi?”

Peter nodded.

Stiles looked to Victoria and Chris. “Victoria? Are you a wolf?”

She looked at him, growling, eyes flashing orange.

Stiles almost let out a hysterical laugh.

Alice then approached Victoria, touching her face without asking.

Kira moved to be beside Alice as if to somehow help.

Chris pulled Victoria closer to him.

Alice then signed to Derek.

Derek said, “Victoria’s wolf is in control, on the surface. It doesn’t want her to kill them again.”

Chris, with tears still in his eyes, asked Victoria, “Then why not run from me? I helped her do it…”

Ally broke at that, outright crumbling into sobbing even as Lydia gathered the young huntress into her arms.

Victoria flashed her eyes at Chris, saying but one word: “Mate.”

Peter could not help but release a whine at that.

Stiles moved to Peter at that, understanding in a way the sadness and reminding of their recent death and even the loss of his first wife too, and squeezed the back of Peter’s neck as Stiles pulled the wolf into a hug.

Chris pulled Victoria somehow closer, burying his face against her neck even as his wife did the same to him.

Raphael McCall stood and moved to Mel while looking around at what was likely a very confusing situation.

Stiles looked around, taking stock of who all were here or not. He noted the fox kit nor the dragons were there. Neither were the three young hunters Chris and Ally had taken in. Stiles looked to Alice. “Did you wake up here, too?”

Alice shook her head. She then signed to Derek.

Derek explained. “She felt a calling and followed it out to the preserve before suddenly blacking out. She then woke up in the preserve a ways out from here, but scented the rest of us so headed here.”

Erica, holding Boyd close said, “Do you think the others at back at your house, Stiles? Maybe the loft?’

Stiles said, “Hopefully. Once we get ourselves sorted here, we’ll look for them to check that everyone’s okay. I don’t feel any broken bonds, but we still need to be sure.”

Danny groaned as he sat up, catching others’ attention. Seeing all the attention on him, Danny smacked Jackson’s arm.

Jackson grunted, pulling himself up, “What?”

It was clear the moment Jackson pieced things together some, growling. “Fuck.”

Jackson rubbed his head.

Stiles said, “Flash your eyes.”

Danny frowned.

Jackson flashed his eyes and added. “Am I the only one with a raging headache?”

Stiles followed up with, “No, and is anything different beyond Danny not being a wolf?”

Danny rubbed the back of his head, seemingly putting the pieces together. “Does this mean I cannot re-become a wolf?”

With an almost feral grin, Peter said, “Not necessarily. Want to try?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Hold on there, Hannibal.”

Seeing Scott curled up and crying silently, Stiles moved to his once brother’s side. “Are you okay?”

Scott shook with his eyes scrunched shut. “I was wrong… so much more wrong than I realized even after Gerard took you.”

Taking mercy on Scott, Stiles ran a hand softly through the fellow teen’s hair. “Remembering accepting the bite willingly?”

Scott nodded, tears still running down his cheeks. Opening his eyes, Scott tilted his head. “If you’ll accept me, Stiles, I submit to you. I will also do all I can to make right all the things I messed up… I… I am so sorry!”

Adrian approached, muttering, “Well, that’s at least a start.”

Meanwhile, Cora pulled Derek into a tight hug before doing the same to Peter, clearly grateful both had survived it all.

Stiles then rubbed his hand through his hair. With a sigh, Stiles gathered himself up to flash his eyes at Scott. “I accept your submission. Please, stand up.”

Although Stiles did not do an Alpha order, Scott stood up.

The young Alpha pulled Scott into a hug, scenting his neck and guiding Scott to scent his Alphas’.

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Scott couldn’t believe it! He’d been given the choice—the choice! And, he still took the bite. He could have sid no! He’d always fought his wolf as well as others, swearing he wanted to be human. He did everything he could to not be a monster, but now?

He chose it. Scott had been informed and gave consent, even wanted the bite. He chose it!

Sitting up, Scott pulled his knees to his chest while wrapping his arms around them. He felt tears running from his eyes. He kept his eyes closed from the light and world around him.

How could this be? He’d chosen… he’d chosen to become a werewolf! Not just chosen, but really wanted it. He’d valued it. An end to asthma. He’d even required someone else be turned. He’d treated it like a good thing. He’d chosen.

The entirety of what Scott had built much of his choices on after being bitten in the true reality were falling apart, had fallen apart. What he thought he knew had not been the case! He benefieted from the bite. It helped him. While yes, in the true reality, he had not asked for it in the situation that had occurred, there were good things about it. There were positives. Not everything was bad. Being a werewolf was not bad. How he was turned originally wasn’t great, but being a wolf was something so much more than that.

Theo wasn’t good or his friend. Theo had been using him. Deaton too, possibly? Probably.

Everything Stiles had been trying to tell him, teach him, and more… Stiles wasn’t jealous. He was trying to help and protect Scott and the pack. Stiles…

Scott felt so overwhelmed, crying at his actions, choices—good and bad! He’d left Stiles and Derek to drown in a pool, he’d helped evil witches and was so sure they were right, that Deaton was right, that Scott himself was right as to nearly murder three of his own betas “symbolically” even when it clearly wasn’t going to be just symbolic! Scott couldn’t help but cry and question everything.

Was he ever the good guy? He didn’t want to be a bad guy. That was never his intent!

Skin crawling with uncertainty and a foreboding weight of just how warped his perspective on being a werewolf and so many others things were, Scott felt like he might choke on his painful past!

Just then, when he felt he should just dig a hole and bury himself, Scott heard Stiles and noticed him moving closer.

Stiles said, “Are you okay?”

Scott shook his head with his eyes scrunched shut. “I was wrong… so much more wrong than I realized even after Gerard took you.”

He wanted to put more to words, but his mouth was dry with all the thinks he hadn’t said. Many of those things were stuff he’d not known he should say back then. Would any of them be acceptable now? After so long? After everything Scott had done?

Stiles ran a hand softly through the fellow teen’s hair. “Remembering accepting the bite willing?”

Scott nodded, tears still running down his cheeks. Opening his eyes as he made a decision, he realized that he should’ve made much sooner, Scott tilted his head. “If you’ll accept me, Stiles, I submit to you. I will also do all I can to make right all the things I messed up… I… I am so sorry!”

Adrian approached, muttering, “Well, that’s at least a start.”

Barely refraining from flinching at Adrian’s words, Scott looked pleadingly to Stiles, hoping his once best friend, his brother would accept him and give him a chance to make things right, somehow.

Stiles then rubbed his hand through his hair. With a sigh, Stiles flashed his eyes at Scott. “I accept your submission. Please, stand up.”

Scott scrambled to his feet, feeling like Stiles sometimes looked when getting up from the ground.

Stiles pulled Scott into a hug, scenting his neck and guiding him to scent his Alphas’.

Scott found things weird but could not help but grip Stiles’ shirt for dear life, not wanting to hurt the fragile human anymore than he already had, repeatedly. The scenting took a hot minute for Scott to place. Stiles had mentioned it before, that his wolf needed it, but Scott had disregarded his friend.

Taking the chance, Scott took a deep inhale of Stiles’ scent: cinnamon, ginger snaps, fresh cut grass and an odd frizzy smell all came together as one in Stiles’ scent. However, Scott only got to really soak in and appreciate the scent for a moment before his wolf overtook him and became the dominate, surface part of him with Scott’s human conscious stuffed deep into his bones.

Inside, Scott was scared now. He’d never let the wolf to the surface. Scott had rejected the wolf, did everything he could to be as human as possible. He was afraid of the wolf while also aware he’d betrayed the wolf too! It had been shoved to the back and ignored. Scott had forced it into some kind of solitary confinement!

Scott vaguely remembered Stiles once talking about how werewolves needed balance—balance between both halves of themselves. The fellow teen had even warned Scott what could happen if he kept rejecting and ignoring his wolf!

Would his wolf ever let him surface? Could anyone tell?

---------------------------------

Chris held his wife to him: this was not possible. This could not be real!

One reality, and then another. Now this?

Living a peaceful life with his wife and daughter, away from his father’s grip. Then everything went to shit. Allison is brought into the know. His wife, Victoria is dead. Katie’s dead. Gerard, his father, is dead. Then things went more to shit. Then, Gerard is finally really dead. His father. Abductions, torture, but they were going to be okay with some surgeries and therapy. Next was a new code, via his beautiful daughter, Allison.

Then, he’d been in the roots under the Nemeton, naked and exposed alongside others. Now he was in the clearing of the Nemeton with his dead wife alive and in his arms! Nothing was right. This couldn’t be real!

Chris pulled back a bit to look into Victoria’s eyes while cupping her cheeks.

At the same time, Allison rushed to them.

Stiles asked, “Victoria? Are you a wolf?”

She looked at him, growling, eyes flashing orange.

Stiles looked ready to laugh hysterically or maybe throw up.

Alice then approached Victoria, touching her face without asking.

Chris pulled Victoria closer to him, watching Alice sign to Derek.

Derek said, “Victoria’s wolf is in control, on the surface. It doesn’t want her to kill them again.”

Chris, with tears still in his eyes, asked Victoria, “Then why not run from me? I helped her do it…”

Ally broke at that, outright crumbling into sobbing even as Lydia gathered the young huntress into her arms.

Victoria flashed her eyes at Chris, saying but one word: “Mate.”

Peter released a whine at that.

Chris pulled Victoria somehow closer, burying his face against her neck even as his wife did the same to him.

Allison broke away from Lydia gently to move forward and wrap her arms around both of her parents.

Although not really paying attention at the moment to others’ movements, Chris did hear Stiles talking to others. Argent just could not care. His wife was back. She was back. She was a wolf. She called him her mate!

Forcing himself to pay attention to more than his wife and daughter, not wanting to replay his past errors of losing sight of things and in consequence losing both of them in one way or another, Chris tuned himself into what was being said around him just in time to catch Derek’s voice, words.

Derek explained. “She felt a calling and followed it out to the preserve before suddenly blacking out. She then woke up in the preserve a ways out from here, but scented the rest of us so headed here.”

Erica asked, “Do you think the others are back at your house, Stiles? Maybe the loft?’

Stiles said, “Hopefully. Once we get ourselves sorted here, we’ll look for them to check that everyone’s okay. I don’t feel any broken bonds, but we still need to be sure.”

Chris took a moment to cherish that this was real. He was here, breathing… with his family! His Allison and Victoria were here, real. It kept bringing more tears to his eyes. It was so much to him that he could not put to words.

After a rough swallowing of his inner panic at his wife being wolf dominate right now, Christopher then added, “We’ll need to be careful about our re-entry to town. Who knows what else may be back or who will even remember the change back and forth. Too much seems to have been left open ended.”

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Just as Chris spoke, Stiles and the rest heard low whining. Stiles looked around, trying to find the source only to be shocked too much to say anything or even point it out to anyone:

A fully shifted black wolf was whining and crawling on its belly toward Stiles.

Scott, recognizing who that must be, tried to step in front of Stiles.

However, Peter caught Scott’s arm. “No.”

Peter, once he’d let Scott loose, moved to Stiles’ side, wrapping an arm around his waist in clear support. The older wolf clearly did not want to impart anything more than his full support for his Alpha. He then whispered not quietly enough to Stiles, “I could kill him for you—a mating gift, if you’d like?”

Deucalion gave a soft growl at that, while shuffling on one leg closer while his eyes flared bright red.

Peter looked at Deuc without moving from Stiles. Peter held his hand out to his chosen mate from the false reality.

Stiles was still startled at what he was seeing as the wolf continued to crawl on its belly toward Stiles, whining all the way, pleading.

Chapter 2: Clearing & Loft

Summary:

Black wolf. Theo. Vehicle. Dragons. Reuniting. Chris.

Notes:

Sorry it's taken me so long to update this! Thank you for reading <3

**Trigger warnings in end note

Seeing the wolf groveling and crawling on its belly, Stiles stared at it. He knew the wolf sought submission and through that, acceptance into the pack, but Stiles wasn’t sure he wanted this. Before really deciding, Stiles asked, without looking away from the wolf, “Does anyone see Marin Morrell?”

Peter growled, “Why would she be here?”

Stiles answered, “Because she helped us fix things. But she also admitted to being part of what messed it up in the first place.”

Several growls were released at that statement.

Neither letting himself look away from the still whining wolf belly-crawling nor allowing himself to get off task, Stiles said, “She said it had to do with a deal she’d made before even that, I think.”

Frowning, Peter said, “I am really tired of feeling like a pawn.”

Stiles reached out without looking to clasp Peter’s hand around his waist, saying, “You’re not a pawn to me. If this were a board game of my choosing, you’d be my king.”

The belly-crawling wolf whined louder as it grew closer. Once it was within four feet of Stiles, the wolf rolled onto their back to expose their belly while still whining, pleading.

Stiles sighed. He didn’t approach the wolf, but Stiles did crouch down. Stiles flashed his eyes at the wolf. “I’ve not decided what to do with you… but, stay a wolf for now, and we’ll talk when we’re somewhere safer.”

The wolf nodded, but stayed where he was, almost limp as if relieved to have at least a chance.

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Before reality was righted….

Theo had been in the circle at the Nemeton, a sacrifice. Just like he’d helped to try to get Scott to do to his new betas once upon a time. But this time? It was him. He was being sacrificed alongside Deaton, hunters, and it was just so incredibly surreal, especially with Marin helping Stiles to do it. How the hell did this happen?

Even in that moment, Theo felt like a let down, cheated. He just wanted Stiles. He wanted to be with and have what he had. Theo didn’t covet Stiles’ Alpha spark. No, he wanted his pack, the loyalty that Stiles gave fully. He wanted to be cared for, to have people miss him if he was gone, have people who weren’t using him for power or experimenting on him or otherwise hurting him. He wanted the luxury of being able to be loyal himself but still survive. Was that too much to ask?!

But then she came! The Countess came out to play, accepting the offerings and making a new deal with Stiles.

Theo watched as Stiles was struck with an intense pain at a packmate dying, then realized that wasn’t quite it. No, Stiles’ mate was dying! He had a mate too?!

Although he felt so much grief at not having his own mate and even at that mate not being Stiles, Theo still hurt and worried for Stiles! They were bonded, they were forever even if Stiles didn’t want him like that, they were bonded!

The Countess took what she considered mercy on Stiles, but Theo knew that wasn’t necessarily a good thing! Look at how Theo and Deaton’s deal had gone, after all. Theo wanted to warn Stiles before it was too late!

But it was already too late. Everything shifted as if to just out of focus and to the left. Theo felt himself fall to his side but somehow he was no longer bound. He was free to move. Theo quickly scrambled to his feet, looking around himself: a survivor to the core.

However, looking around at the dark night in winter he was in, Theo felt fear prickle down his side. He was near a body of water—a small river. No! It was where he’d left her… he’d killed her and left her here, in a watery grave! Why was he here?!

It must be a nightmare, right? Right? Right?! RIGHT?!

He stumbled back, landing himself on the ground at a sound from the water. He stared with unbelieving eyes as he watched his sister, his dead sister, climb up out of the water in the nightgown she’d been wearing the night he’d taken her heart.

While he was frozen in place with fear for but a moment, it was enough time for her to pull herself fully from the water.

Theo rushed to his feet to run, all the while mumbling aloud, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… I had to!”

All the while, she approached with a speed she’d not shown in death, gripping his arm suddenly before shoving her hand into his chest and gripping the coyote heart he’d stolen from her. She ripped the organ out of him while saying, “I wasn’t done with this.”

He collapsed to the ground, her having released him now having what she came for. Theo then lost consciousness, dying in agonizing pain that took forever yet was done in a moment.

Theo then woke up, again. He was no longer bound, but he remembered this time. He remembered what had happened—his sister.

This time he was faster to his feet the moment he realized it was a wintery night yet again. He didn’t wait to see if his sister was coming for him again or not. He just took off running, but he wasn’t fast enough.

Before he knew it, she had her hand in his chest, gripping the heart he’d stolen from her before ripping it out again.

Theo then woke up, again. He was still no longer bound, but he remembered and feared. He tried running several more times, but no matter which direction, his speed, or even his apologies, his sister always gripped the heart he’d stolen from her and ripped it out. Always fear and the pain. Every. Single. Time.

Next, Theo woke up, again. He remembered. He remembered every time before and decided to try a different tactic. Theo backed up some and then stood his ground. From the moment she began to rise, Theo spoke, “Please, you don’t have to do this. I understand. What I did was wrong, but I need you to understand too. They were going to kill me! He sold me to them. I had to survive!”

Her hand in his chest, gripping the heart he’d stolen from her and ripping it out. She left him to die in pain, alone. He was alive a little longer than the previous times, but still died in agony.

Theo then woke up, again. He remembered what had happened—his sister—but also that he’d lived a bit longer. Maybe that was the right route.

He backed up a bit further than last time and the second he saw her emerging from the water, Theo began speaking again, “Please, I am so sorry. I had to do it! They were going to kill me! I had to survive!”

She plunged her hand into his chest and ripped out the stolen heart faster, killing him faster than before.

Theo woke up, again. He scrambled to his feet, backing up the same amount as last time, but when he started speaking, he started differently. “Dad sold me to them! They were going to kill me! I’m so, so sorry! I had to!”

She ripped his heart out again, faster. Everything hurt, but again, it was quicker.

Theo woke up, again. He was starting to worry that there was no way he was going to survive, but he had to keep trying. He couldn’t give up. He was a survivor!

The moment his sister began to climb out of the water, Theo tried again, “He sold me! I swear! I know he said I ran away, but I didn’t! I wanted to leave him, yes, but I’d have taken you with me if I’d run! I had to take your heart—they were killing me! I needed it! And… and if I hadn’t taken it, Dad would’ve been able to hurt you more!”

Rip… heart removed.

Theo whined and he woke, again. Theo forced himself to his feet again, finding that things were speeding up and that with shorter deaths, the pain from one bled into the other, but he had to keep trying.

When her head poked up from beneath the water, Theo tried again. “Please, you don’t have to do this! I’m sorry! I swear, I am so sorry! I couldn’t let them kill me. I couldn’t let Dad keep hurting you! I couldn’t risk his selling you to them next! If they did, you’d need my heart, but it’d already be gone! At least this way part of you liv—”

Both her hands rammed into him as she hissed, “I wasn’t done with it yet.”

She then yanked the heart free as easily as ripping a loose piece of paper.

Theo woke up, again. It hurt more each time, but he could not dare quit.

As her head again began to rise from the water, Theo didn’t bother even getting up from the ground. He just started talking— “Please, please you don’t have to do this! I saved us both as best I could! Please, please don—”

She ripped her heart out of him again.

Theo woke up, again, again, and again—over and over beyond counting. No matter what he did, whether he pleaded or not, whether he ran or not… his sister just ripped out the heart he’d stolen from her. Sometimes she spoke those same words. Sometimes she was silent. No matter what, the pain was constant now, but he kept trying. He kept trying and failing beyond numbers he could conceive of any longer.

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Startled to consciousness, Theo woke up not on the wintery night. No. There was light. It was bright. He had to shield his eyes from the sun’s intensity.

Fearful, Theo sat up and looked a bit around himself. He quickly noticed the Nemeton. He put together that he must be in the clearing, but there were others too. Was he saved? Did Stiles come for him? He could see Stiles, but quickly started to see others too.

No, he was not saved. Theo must have been part of the deal with bringing back the dead. He could not help but wonder if that was a blessing or a curse. He didn’t want to go back to replaying over and over his sister taking back her heart, but he had no idea what to do. He had no more allies—not really.

Theo was once again on his own, so what now?

Deaton might have been brought back, but that bridge was burned in a lot of ways as were his others, including but not limited to Scott. Maybe he just needed to be blunt? Just go forward directly to what he wanted? Maybe that route would at least get him closer?

With a being more direct method in mind, Theo shifted fully into a black wolf and began crawling on his belly toward whom he hoped to be his future Alpha.

Although it had not been part of his original intention, Theo was soon whining, pleading as he belly crawled, groveled his way to Stiles. Theo’d had to shift some as Stiles moved a bit, but Theo would not be stopped. He had to do this. He didn’t see any other options right now.

He had to at least try for what he wanted most of all: Stiles. Even if the fellow teen never trusted or cared for him, Theo wanted Stiles. They’d bonded. They were forever. They’d both had to endure. They’d both survived Theo’s Dad and so much more. They were meant to be together! One way or another, they would always be connected—forever.

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Peter kept his breathing even as he watched Theo crawling to Stiles.

The longer he was conscious, the more Peter started to feel the weight of what had happened before being brought to the clearing: he’d died—again. While at least this time it wasn’t fire, Peter could still feel almost ghostly hints of a memory at how it hurt to die again. Would this time harm him like the others?

The first had really been the death of his sanity with the desecration of his body through fire without a physical death, but the second was a literal death by claws and fire. This last one was a death that included every part of his being in a way even the first literal death had not entirely captured.

With having bit Lydia and prepped for coming back if he was killed the first time, Peter had truly died but at the same time, his soul, spirit lingered, waited for a resurrection. This most recent stopping of his heart was brief but had a finality to it that shook something deep, deep within him. It made his mortality a vivid, tangible concern.

Although he had never really thought himself immortal, Peter had also never seriously considered himself on a limited timeline. The idea of his death was not really something so serious, so final in his mind even though he often had thought he’d welcome death if he could kill all those he sought to, all those he needed to destroy for his family, for crimes against him and his.

Now, not only did Peter feel the weight of his limited number of days, but he had the added burden of knowing his death would trigger the death of others. Worse—he was a chosen mate to Deucalion, and it seemed he’d mated himself even though Stiles was who he cared for but even with reality restored, he was still mated. It could not be taken back.

He’d died again. He was mated to someone other than the one he sought in the true reality. He was alive again, but he felt like the guillotine could fall at any moment.

Peter forced back the full body shiver that sought to wrack through him. He knew he had to keep his game face on. Now was no time to let his armored mask slip.

Noticing Stiles kneeling down and his words to the belly-up wolf, Theo, Peter crooned, “We should get out of here. I’m in no rush for Morrel to catch us unprepared.”

Stiles nodded his agreement.

To that agreement, Peter gripped Deucalion’s hand in his and looked at all those there in the clearing. Peter knew he would probably be the best to run to bring a vehicle back, but he genuinely didn’t want to leave his pack and partners unprotected, especially as he felt so damn raw right now.

It turned out, he didn’t have to do that.

Stiles spoke up while standing up, “We all need to get up and head for town. At the very least, there should be at least one vehicle out on the edge of the preserve near a road that leads into town. But before we plan beyond that, we all need to get to that vehicle. Cora, could you take point?”

------------------------------------

After a walk and car trip or two later, everyone was at the loft….

Due to not knowing for sure what they would find, Stiles had elected that they should wait to go up until they were all there.

Step at a time was what Stiles kept repeating in his mind. Everything needed to be one step at a time. There was an unknown level of change that they could be walking into. Who knew who or what may lie in wait here?

After a steadying breath, Stiles walked into the loft with others following behind. Even though he knew Peter would rather he go first, Stiles still felt he had too much visceral memory of dying because Peter was dying to risk a redo.

Initially, nothing was out of place really, but then from toward the bedroom a notably larger number than before of hatchlings rushed into the front area to greet them all. Following behind them was their father, but also a much, much larger female dragon.

Stiles’ eyes got big—he’d never seen so big of a dragon!

The female was easily over a hundred feet long, Asian build in the same blues and whites of the male and babes. Her eyes were slightly larger than the adult male, and she clearly had far vaster wings too, even with them not openly spread in the apartment.

After the dragons had gotten up into the front fully, a creature with its lower body that of a large goat but just below the navel and up a grey-skinned woman with bright yellow hair and two horns.

Peter then stepped forward, past Stiles, started saying, “You were all sa—”

But Peter words broke off as he caught a scent he’d never expected.

-----------------------------------

Before Peter could say or react in one way or another, Derek broke through and raced to his bedroom with tears already in his eyes: he could smell her. There was no way this was possible, but he could smell her!

Practically tripping over his own feet, Derek nearly ran right into her. Unable to form anything coherent enough to be called words, Derek hugged her close to him with his one arm.

He could see the questions in her eyes, but Derek didn’t dare break this moment. It was too unreal. However, he knew the others needed to know, to see! Maybe this was part of the deal, but that didn’t seem like the most important thing at this moment. The most important thing was her, that she was here!

Derek nuzzled her neck with a faint hum before uncurling himself some while keeping his arm wrapped around her no less, even as he guided them out of the room.

His arm snug around his sister, Laura, Derek carefully guided her to be seen by the others. He even noticed that Stiles seemed to be about to say something, but upon seeing Laura quieted in seeming surprise.

Peter’s eyes got huge, tears gathering and sliding down his cheeks even though he seemed completely unaware of that. He very slowly walked to Laura, making sure to be slow, telegraphing his movements so she could rebuke him if she sought to.

At the same time, Cora rushed to hug tight her sister.

Soon, Peter wrapped his arms around all of them, nuzzling into Laura’s neck as well as the others while whispering apologies to Laura and the rest of his family there.

Derek couldn’t find a shred of concern for anything but this moment: his family together. It wasn’t everyone, but it was more than he’d had all at once in six years.

-------------------------------------------

Christopher Argent walked into the loft holding his dear wife close even though he knew the wolf in her was at the surface. He wasn’t ready to let loose his seemingly concrete proof she was alive. There was so much baggage to unpack and explanations about the things that have changed, but he couldn’t think of any of that just now. He just wanted to hold onto her, to have her back. He didn’t even care that the wolf called him her mate—it simply meant that the wolf would be at least somewhat willing to allow him her nearness.

Looking around the loft was nothing new until creatures seemed to flood from the back bedroom area. Chris kept to himself his surprise as he cataloged all he was seeing, holding Victoria close no less.

Although he didn’t recognize everyone that came from the back room even as Derek fled that way, Chris did put together that things from Gerard’s base were alive that had been dead when he, Deucalion, and Peter had served as Left Hands together for one night.

It took more than he’d likely ever admit to not grit his teeth or let his hands shake with the awareness that Gerard could be back too.

Then, when Derek brought out Laura Hale. Christopher felt it solidify in his head that Gerard had to be back.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings** Contemplation of death/s, violence, referenced/implied child abuse & child sexual abuse

Thank you for reading <3

Bookmarks, kudos, and comments let me know your take on things as well as feed my feral plot jackals

While around and waiting for the next update, perhaps try out these stories:

"Trust is earned" by pixiesblade wherein Stiles swears to Derek he'll fix things after the Alpha pack have caused the deaths of Boyd and Erica, and Stiles makes good on his promise. https://archiveofourown.org/works/49146247

"A Reflection of One's Inner Self" by Ohana Hoku in which Scott much bite Stiles to save his life, but the bite doesn't affect Stiles as expected. https://archiveofourown.org/works/22995661/chapters/54979690

"As Fate Would Have It" by Nihilistic depicts Stiles dying and needing to be turned. Peter gets there first and is not an Alpha, but bites the teen anyways in desperate hope. https://archiveofourown.org/works/48729379

"how are your lungs? (are they in pain?)" by OvalNephrite in which Stiles has Hanahaki Disease, but will he choose death or confession? https://archiveofourown.org/works/16483013

Chapter 3: Grounding

Summary:

Reunion. Reality. Changes. Argent's house. Damage. Laura.

Notes:

I hope you are all enjoying this so far! There's a lot of crumbles from along the way to here that I am trying very hard to bring to some sense of closure by the end <3

**Trigger warnings in end note**

Seeing the family reunion, Stiles swallowed down the awkward questions he sought to verbalize. The question of how far back the Countess was counting in terms of bringing people back was a very serious level of concern to Stiles. One step at a time though. Just one.

Aware people may be worn out from all that had happened, been happening, Stiles moved to the kitchen in the loft as he said aloud, “I’m going to see what if any food is here.”

Stiles needed a moment and he suspected so did the others as they filtered into the loft. The whole situation was insane. Stiles didn’t even react as he heard someone following behind him. However, as he heard the tap of claws on the floor, Stiles turned to see Theo had followed him into the kitchen.

Seemingly recognizing the lack of trust, Theo stayed to the edge of the situation and did not block Stiles’ access to anything really, including getting out of the area.

Stiles sighed, but carried on with what he intended without further comment. He opened the fridge, freezer, then all of the cabinets. He found some cereal, old milk, and a few cans of soda. More promisingly, he supposed, Stiles found take out and delivery menus. At least Derek was eating.

Sighing again, Stiles bit his tongue. He wanted to say something, to provide, to help, but he just felt unsure in a way he found unsettling. His life as it could have been versus his life as it truly was more than a mind fuck, but to add on more? Laura alive? Creatures he’d not seen before all there, and it was chaos and yet not.

Not quite sure what to do with himself but not wanting to burden any of the others or take away from others’ reunions, Stiles slid down to sitting on the floor. He was quiet, aware but silent. He wasn’t close to Theo for obvious reasons, but Stiles needed a moment—maybe years? His Dad had been dead, but now was alive. People were back, but likely not everyone.

Some had been brought back to the preserve at the Nemeton. Others here. The teen hunters were likely to be at Chris’ house. Laura was likely the only additional Hale back…. Stiles Mom wasn’t back, but his Dad was. It wasn’t that Stiles didn’t love his Dad. Stiles just wanted both his parents, and the whole situation was so overwhelming. None of them had taken time in the false reality to really sit with and feel, deal with all of it. Stiles had stuffed it down as best he could to get things done, but he couldn’t hold it anymore, couldn’t hold it in.

Still silent, Stiles let the tears roll down his cheeks while he sat on the floor.

He was vaguely aware he should be working out food for everyone, he should be leading. He should be having people call their families. He should have Chris call his place to check on the teen hunters, maybe have them check in or something, but Stiles couldn’t. He just couldn’t.

Everything was so, so very heavy. He felt like his whole life just kept tilting. He swallowed but it did nothing for his tears and dry throat. He couldn’t sob, couldn’t get up. He just sat in the puddle of his emotional wasteland and hangover from all that had happened in the last 24-72 hours that felt right there and a lifetime away.

-------------------

Chris, still holding Victoria close, spoke, “Hey, can someone get me a phone? I need to call my house to check that Grit, Sam, and Rod are there safe.”

Carefully avoiding giving voice to things, fears about his father and even Kate with Laura back, Chris accepted the phone Aiden passed to him from Jackson.

Dialing his own home number, Chris set aside the surreal for the practical. This was no time to borrow trouble. He needed to get a lay of the land, know who was still around in terms of allies.

When the call picked up, Chris said anticlimactically, “Hello?”

Rod could practically be heard rolling his eyes. “That the best you have?”

Chris chanced a faint hint at a possible smile as he responded. “Are you and your brothers okay? Has anything changed that you notice?”

There was a brief pause before Rod responded. “I’m not sure what all has changed. Sam and Grit are okay, as am I, but things are weird here. Someone has been through here other than us. We woke up outside in the backyard, and upon entering, noticed someone had tossed the place—primarily the livingroom, basement, and your bedroom as well as one guest room. Allison’s room was gotten into, but not quite so wrecked as everything else.”

Chris barely contained a sigh of frustration. He tilted his head to pop his neck and relieve some stress. He then said, “Arm yourselves, but be careful. The place could be booby trapped generally and even specifically for wolves and other supernatural creatures. Do not leave. I’ll rally some and head your way soon, got it?”

Rod responded, “Affirmative. You should know that there is some graffiti as well as slander. You may not want to bring Allison with you, but you will need some serious cleaning supplies. It’s a mix of a ransacking and a hate crime here so far.”

Chris grunted at that. Pissed off now, Chris said, “Stick together. I’ll hurry and grab supplies along the way. Don’t touch anything. I’ll bring the sheriff, too.”

With that, he ended the call. He looked at some of the teens looking at him while saying for those without supernatural hearing: “Someone’s been to my house. Rod, Grit, and Sam are okay though.”

At the mention of the sheriff, seemingly, Noah Stilinski stepped forward, asking, “It gonna be an official visit?”

Chris nodded. “Yes, but I’ll need to go in first to assess if there’s anything that should not be officially seen.”

Noah nodded. “I understand. Who all are you wanting to go with you?”

-------------------------------------------------

At the same time, Levander moved to Peter and took his hand without asking, giving it a bit of a tug to get the wolf’s attention.

Peter looked at Levander through wet eyes while perking a brow in question.

Levander pointed to the kitchen, but only a hint of Theo could be seen from the angle they were standing at.

Peter’s brow furrowed. He kissed Laura’s forehead with another apology and a statement of loving, of missing her. Peter then moved with Levander, grabbing Deuc by the hand along the way as he was led into the kitchen area.

Deuc kissed Peter’s cheek, saying softly, “You go. I’ve got to deal with Kali and Ennis.”

With a slight nod, Peter let Deuc go and continued forward.

The picture was harrowing to Peter. While he knew it would not be held against him by Stiles, Peter still felt a knee-jerk reaction to Stiles sitting on the floor in the kitchen looking spaced out and numb. The baby fox had somehow got into the room without anyone noticing and was cuddled up on the teen’s lap without him noticing and somehow Ennis’ wolf was made physical cuddling to the Spark as well.

Although the latter should be the eye catcher—the tears rolling unbidden down Stiles’ cheeks when paired with his blank expression overrode it all.

It even allowed Peter to not focus on the grossness of Theo being in the same room as Stiles right now.

Peter moved slowly toward Stiles, telegraphing his movements to not scare or in some way startle Stiles while speaking, “I’m here.”

Stiles didn’t move anything but his head in a faint—blink and you miss it—nod.

Peter settled himself kneeling beside Stiles on the side opposite Ennis’ wolf. Peter knew platitudes were nothing. They’d likely all been heard before, and even if not, Peter didn’t want to lie to Stiles. Even with not being sure what was going on right that moment, Peter understood that Stiles needed to know he wasn’t alone while not be pressured with an interrogation or everyone’s’ attention.

It took a few minutes, but then Stiles began tapping his fingers while counting under his breath.

Peter did not stop, but he leaned in a little to kiss Stiles’ neck softly. Peter wanted to make sure Stiles knew he was supported no matter what. Peter also knew that everything that had happened was overwhelming.

He could barely believe things himself right now. Laura was alive! She was alive and she didn’t run from him, didn’t rebuke him, at least not yet.

Not saying anything at first, Peter just shared air with Stiles as he gently set a hand on one of Stiles’. Peter knew it would take time to unpack so much of this, but they had time—right?

No. The answer was no.

-------------------------------------------

The sheriff’s phone rang. They all heard him pick up the call—“Yes?”

Stiles blinked his eyes, coming back to himself some. He felt where he was—the kitchen. He felt who he was with: Peter, the fox kit, and Ennis’ wolf. Theo was there as well, but not too close.

Stiles focused hard—harder than he had hoped he would need to: a fifth thing… he could see the cabinets. And was that Levander over Peter’s shoulder? The teen could hear his Dad speaking on the phone—he sounded concerned—Peter’s calm breathing, whispers from the main area, and Stiles could hear his own breath panting out as it tried to match those beside him. He could smell his own sweat, fur dander (probably the fox kit’s), and a faint hint of grass even though there was none visible nearby. Stiles then wiggled his fingers and then his toes. Last of all, Stil closed his eyes again to steady his swimming insides.

Next, Stiles gently passed the fox kit to Peter. The teen then leaned forwards and kissed Peter’s cheek softly, sadly. Stiles then stood up.

Ennis’ wolf got up at the same time Stiles rose.

Peter slid gracefully to his feet, still holding close the kit, as any good parent would.

Stiles reached over to his Right Hand, the man he may no longer have a right to kiss like before, and squeezed his shoulder in comfort, in knowing. Stiles then moved close to his Dad who ended the call he was on.

The Sheriff then said, “I need to go in. I have an internal affairs interview today. Agent McCall, I think you’re who is going to question me. The secretary said it would be someone from the FBI.”

Scott McCall’s father nodded, seemingly in a haze himself, saying almost off-handily, “Yes. The multiple break ins to your home and the spike in murders locally were considered suspicious and possible indications of you failing your oath or at the very least be ill fit for your job.”

Noah then looked to Chris. “Call in from your place the break in once it is police appropriate there for it. I’ll make sure to keep an eye on things even if it ends up being from a distance.”

Derek moved closer, asking as his fingers brushed faintly over Stiles’ lower stomach, “I thought you said… I thought the names on your front were all Hales?”

Stiles looked to Derek, startled by the question and touch out of the blue. The teen looked to where he was being touched, saying, “Gerard said that the ones in front and on my arm were Hales… his trophies. He wanted to taunt you all with it when you found my body, if you all found my body.”

Derek paled some at Stiles sharing more than he had before about his time with Gerard than he previously had with Derek. The young wolf swallowed before saying, “But these last few names—I don’t recognize them… Peter, do you?”

Cora and Laura came closer.

Cora pointed, unwilling to touch right that moment it seemed, to one of the names. “I’ve heard that one before. He wasn’t at the house though that night. I… uh, didn’t even know he was related. I went to school with him.”

Allison moved closer, saying, “I think we need to take pictures. Scars are far easier to read now, and we should document them. That way we can investigate the names further.”

Laura then stepped even closer, kneeling down, asking, “Who’s Malia?”

Peter looked at her in surprise. “Malia?”

Frowning, Malia moved closer, asking, “What?”

Just then, Christopher got a text and swore. Before anyone could ask him, Chris just said, “There’s a bifurcated body that was found in the preserve.”

The sheriff then got a text and swore. “That’s what I just got notified of too. We’ve got to go.”

As he moved, Chris said, “I’ll drive.”

Noah said, “No. You need to go home to the teens. Take care of what needs to be taken care of there, call it in, and then you can head out to help. I’ll have Agent McCall with me, and I think it’ll be a good chance to fill him in on what all is really going on around here on our way to the station to touch base before heading out to the crime scene.”

----------------------------------------

A bit later, after photographs had been taken of Stiles’ scars, the Sheriff had left with McCall for the Sheriff station, and Chris left with those he chose…

An alarmingly skinny very old man slipped into the apartment. He was quiet but clearly not actively sneaking.

Seemingly seeing the old man, the grey woman with a goat lower body and yellow hair moved to him, gently touching him.

No words were exchanged, but the man simply shook his head no to a question not verbally asked.

Stiles stood in front of the others in the main open area of the loft. He looked so small in some ways—at least to Deucalion. The teen did notice the old man, but since Peter wasn’t treating the man as a threat, Stiles seemed to let it lie for the moment.

The Demon wolf could not help but wonder how such a fragile creature was standing strong through all of this. Then again, maybe he wasn’t? Maybe he was just scraping by like the rest of them. Who was to say?

Deucalion really was not sure one bit. He did know he was on call right now since he had retained his license to practice law in California, so if the Sheriff needed a lawyer, Deuc could help. However, he didn’t feel like that was something to bring up now. It would be a better fit for later if things went too much further with internal affairs. Involving a lawyer too early could cause the small-town sheriff to look guilty unnecessarily.

Looking stoic, Stiles spoke, “Okay, we all need to work to piece together what things have changed. I’m very aware that the changes are sudden, and not everyone necessarily knows what all to do with this, but it’s important we figure out the difference for everyone’s safety, especially those resurrected.”

The very old man seemed a bit overwhelmed. “Where are we?”

Stiles looked like that question physically hurt.

Before the teen Alpha could answer, Peter chimed in, “Beacon Hills, California, in my nephew’s apartment.”

The older man nodded, tears forming in his eyes.

Stiles stepped closer, asking, “Do you have anyone you need or want us to call?”

The man shook his head. “No. Their names are probably carved into you. He broke them all into ash. I managed to rush to the house after appearing here, but it was all gone.”

Peter stepped forward while gently pulling Stiles back. Peter looked at the man and asked, somewhat stilted, “May I… what’s your name?”

Deuc understood, at least in part. Peter probably wanted something else, but the man was doused in the pained scent of sadness and devastation.

The older man shook his head no. “I can’t right now. There was someone… someone who tipped off Gerard. I can’t say that until I’ve figured out who betrayed us.”

Peter nodded slowly, but he seemed to be thinking a mile a minute. Slowly, telegraphing his movements, Peter reached forward carefully to gently pat the man’s shoulder as if in comfort. Then Peter asked, “Did you per chance have a daughter named Talia?”

Derek whined at what that question implied.

Laura and Cora both looked far more hesitant, unwilling to hope right now, it seemed.

The older man perked a furry brow that was uncannily like a certain young Hale. He hesitantly said, “No… I’m sorry.”

Peter nodded, saying, “It’s okay. I had to try. You talk with your eyebrows a bit like my nephew. I had to check.”

The older man offered a sad smile, saying, “Yeah, my Mom used to complain that I didn’t use my words enough even though my brow talked too loud.”

The old man ran his shaking hands through his hair, continuing, “I did always like the idea of the name Talia, but I never had any kids. I was taken before any of that was possible. I’ve been a pin cushion to that monster for a very, very long time.”

Derek furrowed his brows before hesitantly asking, “Do you know how long?”

The older man shook his head. “No, but I didn’t have gray hair when taken. It was in revenge… supposedly. I guess the monster’s brother was killed, so he took me. He wanted to know everything about wolves in the area, everything about anything I could possibly know.”

Deucalion asked then, “Did you tell him about who may have attacked his brother? Do you know the brother’s name?”

The man shook his head. “I don’t know. Might have began with an A or maybe a Z? I’m sorry, they did a lot of experimentation on me, including flooding my spinal and brain fluids with Wolf’s Bane to see what it would do. I don’t believe I ever named anyone, but that is far more because I didn’t understand who the brother was or what the hell it had to do with myself or anyone I knew.”

Deuc settled some, reminding himself that sympathy was likely a more normal response to all of this. But he was still tortured by all the Gerard had done to him—both times the hunter had the Demon Wolf.

Stiles gently reached out, touching the man’s wrist. “You’re not there anymore, and we won’t let him get at you again. I won’t let any of you be in that monster’s hold again!”

Having seen all he had seen from the teen; Deucalion was unsurprisingly trustful of that statement. Duke could see the scars of some of what Gerard had done to the boy and yet the teen never broke, never spilled any secrets, or surrendered to Gerard.

Cora cleared her throat pointedly.

Stiles nodded with a hint of a fond smile before seriousness once again took his face. “Beyond being alive, for those of you that applies to, has anything else changed that you’re aware of?”

The old man said, “My family’s house was burned down, but I don’t know if that is different or not. I’ve been gone a long time.”

Nodding sadly, Stiles asked, “Anything else? Are you still a wolf?”

The old man perked a brow, clearly having not considered that.

Stiles flashed his eyes at the old man.

The old man’s eyes flashed back: blue eyes, but supernatural no less.

Peter perked a brow at that, still looking like he was trying to piece together who the old man was.

Victoria spoke, “We’re still a wolf; however, the human inside is raging yet also terrified. Her afterlife, it would seem, is something she remembers enough of to be traumatized. I don’t think knowing that is normal.”

Stiles nodded.

The male dragon spoke, “Some of our children are not as they were. None of them remember their previous state due to Gerard, but those that were revived have a new symbol on their bellies. It is not a tattoo or scars, like Stiles, it’s like they were born with it even though I know they were not.”

Stiles moved closer to the dragons, “May I see?”

The father nodded, picking up one of his hatchlings by the scruff of their neck like a Momma cat might to a kitten to show their belly.

Even though she didn’t do more, the Mother dragon did growl in warning at the young Alpha.

Stiles’ breath caught as did Deucs.

The mark was a triskelion in the blue of their blue and white coloring.

Stiles said: “Peter…?”

Peter turned his attention from the older man finally to look at the mark on the hatchling that was exposed. He took a step forward, but the thundering growl of the mother dragon stopped him.

The father dragon set the babe down at the mother’s wordless urging.

She clearly did not want a predator near her hatchling’s soft exposed belly.

Stiles asked softly, looking the Mother dragon in the eyes—“Do you intend to stay here? In the area, I mean?”

The dragon did not blink nor look away, saying, “The young are too weak yet to travel, but this area is not our home.”

Deucalion moved closer to Peter, taking his mate’s hand. Duke sought to bring comfort even though he knew such a thing was not automatically welcome like it was before. There was so much they needed to sort out. Deuc kept trying to pay attention to the external to avoid looking too deep within at his precarious position.

In the true reality, he was a temporary situation for the pack while he healed before he and his remaining two Alpha pack mates bailed. Now, he arguably had all of his pack back, but the two he’d gained were now a beta rather than an Alpha and a human who could likely not be turned again.

Even more, Deucalion was still mated to Peter. That had not changed in the return to reality. It was truly as permanent as they had intended it in the false reality. Now, the question was where to go from here? Technically, the deal could still hold… but that would require Stiles’ agreement and or Peter being willing to leave the pack he had. The later was not going to happen, but the former? Would Stiles be willing to share?

Deucalion knew this was not necessarily the most pressing thing right this moment, but he still couldn’t stop thinking about it. Not really. He had always liked Peter to one extent or another. He’d originally hoped that Peter would be willing to kill his nephew or perhaps just kill another Alpha and become part of the Alpha pack with or without Derek.

What a sad thought? How did he not fully realize before that part of why he sought out the Hales was in the hope of catching Peter in the chaos of it all. Too bad he had not come sooner, perhaps? No, not really. No, Peter would not have agreed to this without needing to. It was a sad truth. Who would want a blind Alpha? Deucalion surely would not have if he were seeing. A twisted karma perhaps? No. No, karma was not real. Were it, he would no longer be among the living.

-------------------------------------------------------

Stiles swallowed hard. There was so much he knew he’d need to do. One step at a time, though. One step at a time.

After rolling his shoulders to try and fail at easing his tense muscles, Stiles spoke: “I know that everyone here right now may not want to stay permanently, and that is perfectly fine. However, we do need to make sure everyone has received the necessary medical treatment and can safely be taken to and or cared for further in the safest possible ways. Due to the clear non-human state of some here, I ask that everyone that qualifies in that way stay here in this loft until dark, at least. Then we’ll move to the next step. Those who decide to stay in town for a while to heal up, etc will be moved to either Peter’s apartment or my house. This goes for everyone who can pass for human and not.”

Trying to keep his voice steady despite how overwhelming reality was, how hard it was to know all his nightmares are real in the worst ways, Stiles forced himself to continue on, saying, “I also want everyone—and I do mean everyone—to really think about what it is they want from here on out. I am willing and able to help, but you all should know that we are potentially kicking a hornets nest here. Not only are all of you alive, even those who had originally died, but we all have made a deal with fey as well as I intend to seek out those named on my flesh.”

Derek furrowed his brows nearly into his eyes even as his eyes flashed red, grunting, “Shouldn’t we heal up first? Shouldn’t we be focused on the wounded?”

Stiles walked up to Derek without fear and gently ran a hand down Derek’s arm. “We are going to, but I do not want anyone going into this without knowing where I intend to go. I do not want anyone to blindly follow. I want people to choose for themselves their next steps post getting medical care, a good meal… I want to be upfront from the start.”

Scott raised his hand hesitantly. “What do you mean by seeking out those named on your body?”

Stiles smiled without humor or joy, saying, “I want to check that the people written on me are actually dead as well as in the cased where they are, notify whatever remaining family they may have.”

Tilting his head to the side like a puppy, Scott said, “But didn’t Gerard say those on you are dead… that he killed them?”

Nodding, Stiles said, “Yes, but the monster was not as thorough as he thought. I mean, Cora’s name is on me, but she’s standing right there.”

Frowning, Cora asked, “Do you think it’s possible there are more Hales out there?”

Stiles was honest: “I have no idea, but I know it needs to be checked. They all do. We owe it to Gerard and other hunters’ victims to check.”

The teen Alpha then looked to Derek, asking, “Could you order a truck load of food for everyone?”

With a roll of his eyes, Derek nodded, pulling out his phone to give a call to a local Chinese place that was used to their big orders.

--------------------------------------------------------

Christopher had brought Allison and Lydia with him, having grabbed the keys to the vehicle present at the loft. He drove all four of them to his house. It was a quiet, not awkward, but somber, drive through town. When they pulled up outside the house, they could see the huge black spray-painted X over the front door.

Although that did not look as bad as it could, Christopher knew there would be far worse inside. Once the vehicle was parked on the side of the road, Chris opened his cellphone while turning off the vehicle. He quickly typed in his home number.

It took less than ten seconds before the call was picked up by Rod: “Hello?”

Chris responded. “Are you all okay still?”

Rod grunted, “Yeah, but the twins stepped out back for a bit of air. The spells are pretty intense in here. I’m just holding down the fort.”

Nodding, Chris pressed his phone to his chest and addressed the others in the vehicle. “I’m going to go in through the back. Can you drive you two back to the others, Allison?”

Allison nodded slowly, “Yes, but wouldn’t you like some help? I doubt it’s a small job whatever they’ve done in there. I can help.”

Christopher shook his head, “No. Rod’s warned me you should not go in due to some of the graffiti.”

Rolling her eyes, Allison sighed. “I’ll go in from the front while you take the back.”

Frowning, Christopher opened his mouth to tell her otherwise.

However, Lydia interrupted: “I can stay here in the car. I’ll move to the driver’s seat for a quick retreat if needed. Ally, enter through the front, but I need you to signal when it’s clear for me to follow, okay? I don’t want you out of my sight.”

Allison nodded slowly, taking Lydia’s hand in solidarity.

Sighing, Chris accepted his loss for the moment. The Argent family was a Matriarchy through and through. “Do you need a weapon, Allison?”

The teen hunter shook her head no, saying, “I’ve got knives on me as needed. Plus, I figure going in the front, I wouldn’t want to alarm the neighbors by openly brandishing a firearm.”

Chris nodded.

He and Allison got out of the vehicle while Lydia moved into the driver’s seat.

Allison moved to the front door while Chris slipped around the back.

Once in the backyard, Chris saw Sam and Grit and said, “Doing okay?”

Sam and Grit nodded though they each looked a bit rough.

Grit then explained, “There’s Wolf’s Bane rubbed around randomly in there. The worst of it is in your bedroom and Allison’s.”

Frowning, Chris gave a short nod. He then headed inside, finding the place tossed like the left overs if an out of control party mixed with a hate crime, an IRS raid, and a murder scene. There were no bodies, but there was blood thrown around on the walls and more. In big black spray-painted and angry letters over multiple walls was two messages: “Dog-fuckers” and “And with a Male You Shall Not Lie the Lying down of a Woman Leviticus 18:22.”

The whole house smelled like feces, blood, and Wolf’s Bane. It was far from a good place anymore.

However, it got a whole hell of a lot worse when Chris heard Lydia. His eyes shot to her at the open front door.

She had crumbled to her knees at what she saw. She kept muttering quietly to herself, seemingly in loss and shock.

Allison stood just a bit further in, looking around, seemingly overwhelmed.

Lydia reached out and took Allison’s hand in hers, so they could draw strength from one another.

Christopher moved through the broken furniture, tv, and more, dodging around piles of feces and as much blood as he could to get to the girls and pull Lydia up before pulling both girls into his arms, murmuring to them, “It’s okay. I’m going to make this right. I will make this right.”

Once he was holding them securely, Chris looked them, saying, “You two go back to the loft. I’m going to check a thing or two then call the police. I’m also going to make sure Grit, Sam, and Rod are taken care of, got it?”

Lydia nodded slowly before seemingly looking to Allison.

Seemingly gathering her wits about her, Allison then said, “Agreed. I’m assuming you’re going to set up the others somewhere safe that is not here?”

Chris nodded, “Yes, including some first aid and more as needed first.”

---------------------------------------------------------

Laura was rushed upon, a crazed, mutilated wolf came for her—a werewolf, like her. the hulking creature ambushed her—it had to be what left the spiral, but how was that possible? Who was this? This burnt… Peter?!

Then she felt herself be ripped apart, torn is half it felt like. Then she was here.

Here smelled like sadness, like Derek after the fire… but more. More hope? There were other smells too. Other people there right now, but also smells that were more woven in, like they’d been here, with Derek. Yet the please also smelled like it’d been vacant often.

Then noises from elsewhere yet nearby. Then, shortly after, more noise and people. She noticed others moving toward what must be a more frontal location of this place.

Slowly, Laura stood and began to walk toward the noise. This was so incredibly surreal.

Before she knew what to say or how to react, Derek was there at her side, standing beside her with but one arm. Before she could question where his other arm had gone, Cora was there—CORA?! She was… alive? How was this possible? Her little sister was ALIVE!

Derek and Cora were both hugging her while they moved the group hug more forward.

Then Peter joined, telegraphing his movements as if expecting her to recoil from him. Did he remember? Was he sorry? Did it matter?

Laura let him hug her along with the others. What else could you do when seeing family, including some who you’d believed dead and another who was in a coma, but also murdered you? She had abandoned him, leaving Peter to fend in such a weakened, broken state. But she couldn’t wait, couldn’t take him. They had to get out! Derek was hurt and Mom was dead... the family… gone. She did what she had to.

Feeling tears running from her eyes, Laura still felt strangely numb. This could not be real, could it?

There was so much happening around her right now. Dragons? A baby fox? Humans? Deucalion? He was alive, still?

What was going on? What had life become?

She watched them talk, not really processing the words. She let herself be hugged and moved around by her remaining family. Laura let it all wash over her, aware it wasn’t having the impact it might have once.

After a bit, Laura found her voice in a sense and asked no one in particular, “How long was I gone?”

Notes:

**Trigger warnings--graffiti, hell, property damage, remembered torture, emotional pain and complications**

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

"Better Together" by TailorNorata in which Alpha Stiles is a social worker and Omega Peter is a therapist, and both are being pressured to find mates. https://archiveofourown.org/works/8917624/chapters/20427376

"Lumberjack Guy, Buffed Scott, Evil SyFy Villian, and Lydia Martin?!" by ladyoneill wherein there's a time jump, Derek's a lumberjack, and there's a creeper wolf. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649564

"Gotta Trust Kira's Gut" by Inell where a simple suggestion to Stiles starts off a polyamorous situation. https://archiveofourown.org/works/6325813

Chapter 4: Moving Forward

Summary:

Rebirth. Insecurity. Deucalion. Fire cupping. Henri Argent. Scott. Meeting prep.

Notes:

Thank you for sticking along so far <3

**Trigger warnings in the end note**

Peter felt his heart clench, flinch at Laura’s question. He had his fox kit in his hands, having wanted to include the child that he’d bonded so tightly to. Snuggling the fox kit closer to the wolf’s now trembling body, Peter said as softly as he could, “Almost two years.”

He knew he should drop to his knees and beg her forgiveness, but there were too many people, too many non-pack for such a display of vulnerability right now. That reality did not change how Peter felt though.

Taking subtle, deep breaths, Peter gaged Laura’s surprising lack of reaction. Then again, was that really a surprise? Being brought back to life could be rather traumatic in its own way—he would know. Then, that brought to him another question: “Are you overwhelmed?”

Laura looked at him with seemingly empty eyes and nodded slowly.

Stiles then said, “Okay, I think we’re just stirring the shit at this point. I’m going to go raid the to-go menus for a good place to order from. While I do that, someone provide a card that the order can be put on. Otherwise, lets get out first aid and get the cuddle on, as appropriate.”

Peter nodded, nearly smiling. Stiles made him feel so cared for. Giving Laura a gentle hug, still telegraphing his moves and going slow, Peter whispered to her, “I’m so sorry. I’d like to talk about things later—both your resurrection and death as well as what has occurred since.”

After kissing her cheek, Peter let Laura go—all the while having been holding his kit—and went to grab the sling for the babe that he kept here. He had them at all the main pack places for the little fox. Although he didn’t vocalize it too much, Peter did love being a parent. While it broke his heart, having missed out on raising the child in his dead wife’s womb, Peter cherished the fox kit and his role in the babe’s life immensely.

As he busied himself getting the sling and the fox kit set up in the sling, Peter kept trying to avoid the spiral down in thinking about being mated to Deucalion, growingly falling deeper in love with Stiles, and having Laura back after he’d murdered her. It was a lot to bear, but he didn’t know what else to do with the situation beyond just bearing it.

He was bound and fell for another. Peter could not stand how romance novel, teenage nonsense this sounded like. However, mates were a serious thing, as were oaths. He had both to tangle with. Even if it hurt and was confusing to deal with, Peter knew he would figure this all out if for no other reason than that he had to. He cared too much not to, even if he wasn’t planning on advertising that detail anytime soon.

Peter took a breath in, then out, before saying, “Deuc? Could you help the dragons with some first aid in case any of them need dressings and or dressing changes?”

Deucalion gave a brief nod to Peter before motioning the dragons to stay put while he went for the nearly military level first aid kit kept in the bathroom. There was one in the loft, Peter’s apartment, and the Stilinski home.

Offhandedly, Peter wondered if they’d need to add one to Scott’s house. Shaking his head at himself, Peter got moving. He moved to follow Stiles to the kitchen, giving the teen Peter’s card to pay for all the food that would be ordered.

Peter made sure to softly run a hand along Stiles’ arm before scenting his neck gently. The wolf would never get sick of their easy touches. He hoped that would remain the same no matter what came next. They had to make this work. HE had to make this work.

------------------------------------------------------

Drowning in his own thoughts, Stiles looked at Peter as the man touched, scented. All Stiles could say was, “Thank you.”

Stiles had no other words. All of this was overwhelming. He so badly wanted to go back, to cherish before all of this. Now? Now he had all of this to figure out, to take care of. He had people counting on him. That’s part of being an Alpha. He was the head of a family. A family that was wounded and in need of soothing and tending.

Not knowing if he was the right person for this anymore, the Alpha they all needed, Stiles forced himself to pull out all the takeout menus. He selected a menu and accepted Peter’s card. Stiles leaned into scent in return and then kissed Peter’s cheek before moving back to the main area.

Once in the main area, Stiles passed the card and menu to Erica who seemed overwhelmed and currently was curled into Boyd. “Order enough to feed at least two armies, please?”

Erica nodded.

Stiles knew she was a fighter, even with this being a lot. He also hoped giving her something to focus on would help like how focusing on Erica often helped Boyd.

Derek, who was already on the phone, ordering food, perked his brow at the teen Alpha.

Stiles didn't react beyond a shrug. What would be so bad about extra food?

While he appreciated Peter getting things moving, Stiles knew he needed to get things more sorted. It was his duty to the family unit. Actively trying to keep his thoughts on task and in the present, Stiles ignored his fears, concerns about who else might be back, like those who helped hide what happened with the fire… Gerard… more? How far back did the Countess take this?

After shaking his head at himself, Stiles spoke, “Food is being ordered. Please, make yourself comfortable. I know this is overwhelming, but we’re going to figure this all out.”

It was hard to know all the ways to be when there was so much not said among his own pack, let alone everyone else here and everything that’d happened and trying to figure out what to do right now. Swallowing hard, Stiles rolled his shoulder and returned to Erica and Boyd. He sat beside them and snuggled in a bit, finding the comfort he had when they’d piled on his bed to sleep early on.

Stiles needed that right now. He had a growing feeling that the consequences of how the ‘deal’ situation had gone was going to rip them up to shreds or something far, far worse. Something was coming, Stiles just knew it even if he didn’t know what exactly it was.

For now, Stiles knew he needed to deal with the immediate and care for those here. The next step would likely involve those not here right now. There was just so, so much.

Feeling his eyes close, Stiles found himself slipping to sleep. Off-handedly, as he lost consciousness, Stiles hoped neither Gerard nor Deaton would be back.

-------------------------------------------------------

Two days later, Stiles’ bedroom…

Stiles fidgeted, wearing only a pair of sweats.

Deuc stood before the teen with closed eyes—not that such a thing did much these days. The Demon Wolf was very gently, slowly running his hands over Stiles’ face, mapping every little detail in his mind that he couldn’t see.

Peter sat on the teen’s bed, watching as he held the little fox kit on his lap. Peter, it turned out, was a good sub for a fox Mom in a few ways, including but not limited to how incredibly devoted of a parent he was.

It had been part of their deal in a sense.

Stiles had fought it a bit, but he agreed to let Deuc ‘see’ him if Peter was there and it could be private: just the three of them.

Deuc had argued that if they were going to try to find a way to make this work, he really needed to ‘see’ Stiles. Deuc wanted to become familiar with the teen—not necessarily sexually, but comfortable with one another.

With Peter still mated to Deucalion, Stiles had to share Peter since he didn’t want to let go of the feisty wolf.

Deuc couldn’t blame Stiles for not wanting to give up Peter. Deucalion had wanted the younger wolf for longer than he’d yet dared to say. But since Peter and Stiles slept together pretty much every night, Deuc getting to touch, to build a mental picture of the young man seemed like a good step forward, letting everyone work up to the three of them, hopefully, being able to sleep together each night.

As it was, the group had not worked out how the Alpha pack would fit more long term into Stiles’ pack since with Peter’s end of the deal (the mating bond) being held up in this reality too, Deuc saw it fit to maintain his end as well. That had stopped Stiles short a bit. The teen didn’t seem upset or unwilling, but he did seem surprised that not only Deuc but Ethan and Aiden were open to this. Kali and Ennis were a distinct complication, but that was one of many stray pieces still being sorted out.

Running his hands over Stiles’ cheek bones caused Duke to smile unknowingly. Following the cheek bones further into the more central area of Stiles’ face, Deuc’s hands came to the teen’s cute, upturned nose. That nose under Deucalion’s fingers felt like it may be a hint more at home on one of Santa’s elves. Perhaps someone had once said that to Stiles. However, feeling the ridge of his nose all the way up to his brow bone, Deuc wondered how many didn’t put together the beauty of that slightly upturned nose and the strong brow bone it led up to.

Maybe somehow people glossed over Stiles with their eyes and missed how the details added up to more? Maybe they missed how soft Stiles’ skin was? Maybe they discounted the lack of blemishes that most teens had? Maybe they’d missed how despite not being eighteen yet, Stiles carried himself, expressed with his face and words what a man he was?

Deucalion wondered how much of his image of Stiles within Duke’s mind was built, forming under what the man could feel under his fingers and how much was sculpted by the young man’s actions, choices, and promises that he’d held to?

Focusing on every minute curve and break of flesh, even noting Stiles’ long, thick eyelashes, Deuc couldn’t deny the youth of the face even though he suspected there was a depth of pain in the eyes those eyelashes in part shielded.

Running one of his hands along Stiles’ hairline, Deuc noted mentally the youth of not having frown lines on his forehead. Deuc even leaned a little forward without thought, breathing in the scent of the teen all nerves, ozone, cinnamon, and perhaps even a hint of a shot of cheap whiskey, like the honey’d color of Stiles’ eyes as Peter had explained.

Deuc wished absently that he could see those eyes himself. Instead of dwelling on that though, Deucalion leaned forward just a bit more, intentionally this time. “May I move down toward your shoulders and chest?”

Stiles shuddered under Deuc’s touch and he said, “Yea… yeah, yes.”

Deuc leaned in a hint more to whisper in Stiles’ ear, “Do you want me to wait?”

“No,” Stiles managed to get out. “Just… not a fan of my scars.”

Nodding in understanding while leaning back some, Deuc gently slid his hands down the sides of Stiles’ neck to spread them like feather wisps across Stiles’ collar bone all the way to curving over the human’s shoulders.

Starting to smirk just a hint, Deuc appreciated just how soft Stiles’ skin was. The wolf knew that such a thing was likely a consequence of him using Peter’s grooming products that prioritized such things. Deuc hoped that one day they could all shower together like Peter and Stiles already did semi-regularly.

Duke suspected that one of the main reasons Peter didn’t just about ALWAYS shower with Stiles like before reality was changed was for Deuc’s benefit. On those days when they didn’t shower together, Peter showered with Duke.

It made Duke feel like the sharing was akin to spick roasting Peter emotionally as opposed to physically.

Running his hands down Stiles’ arms to explore the teen’s hands, Deuc could not help but wonder just what sweet torture these very fingers of Stiles’ could do to hurt or heal others. The fingers felt like they could be nobby, bone-thick spider legs splaying out from the body of his palm.

Deuc did not know why he was trying to ascribe metaphors and abstracts to a person who in so many ways were beyond such things. Stiles was an enigma to Deuc.

How could a human be an Alpha? How did he manage to not only be an Alpha, but a damn amazing one? Why did this teen pull around him seemingly effortlessly various power figures, people without feeling the need to violently assert himself over them.

Stiles was not only a good Alpha. But a merciful one. He prioritized what members of his pack prioritized. Where Stiles could have just decided to run his pack into the Alpha pack to kill them; although, he would hope the teens would fail, but instead was willing to make a deal, to save an enemy from a torture most would think Deuc deserved.

Yes, Ethan and Aiden had been right to dangle Cora to get this deal, but Stiles didn’t have to take it. He did not have to listen to them long enough to learn they even had her. But he did. Stiles did listen, seemingly more so than some even realized.

Deuc had yet to piece together what this teen really was, what made Stiles tick, made him just so very… Stiles. Deuc wanted to know—quite badly—maybe these steps, these little moments would build into Deuc eventually being brought in on the secret, the secret of the boy who ran with wolves.

Running his hands back up Stiles’ arms, Deuc then began his slow trek with his hands over the brail of tortures and the names of the tortured, murdered carved into Stiles’ flesh. It was a heavy burden, Deuc was sure. But at the same time, Stiles carried the burden without making anyone feel guilty about it.

The kid had even allowed into his pack the idiot who made it possible for Stiles and others to be captured and tortured in the first place. And, based on some of what he’d overheard since, Scott had also caused Stiles to be taken and tortured, though possibly less severely, well before the time Deuc had been in the pack for. Still, Stiles accepted Scott in to save the other teen’s sanity.

Deucalion knew if it had been his choice, not only would he have killed Scott, but he would also have killed everyone Scott cared for, even just people he said hello to at school. Deuc would not, could not attempt to help someone who had led to being tortured, let alone tortured twice!

Running his hands and fingers slowly over the scars, Deuc could not help but feel the weight building a letter at a time, especially as he already knew that most if not all of the names on Stiles’ chest were the victims of the Hale house fire. There were too many names—too much loss.

Not too long ago, this would have meant nothing to Deuc, but now? Now, after too short of a time, he really FELT the weight of the loss of so many. Several of them he knew, particularly Taila Hale. She died being burned alive far too slowly. Taila had to hear her parents, her brother, what she likely assumed were her children as well as other family and pack members being burned alive while she was. Being the Alpha, being stronger, she heard the cries longer. She heard them all dying, crying for help as she died and could do nothing to help.

The entire affair was beyond cruel. Where with his own original pack, Deuc felt justified in killing them. They turned on him. Well, some of them turned on him. But by the time he had cut through the guilty people, his claws craved more while his mind was wrecked and his wolf huddling and hiding deep inside away from it all. But this?

Deuc felt the tears welling in his eyes only to streak down his cheeks. He couldn’t help it. There were children in that fire. There were humans that were burned alive too. Although they died quicker, mercifully suffocating on the smoke before they could really even make a significant try to get out. But the wolves? They got to hear their fellow wolves dying as well as knowing if not hearing that the humans among them were gone or would die before they could be rescued.

Mind being morbid, Deuc sadly wondered if the adults killed the little ones as an act of mercy. He’d never know, but for once not knowing was likely the best thing for them all on that front. Without noticing it at first, Deuc’s fingers were tracing out each name on the boy’s chest. The names, humans and wolves were carved in to be seen by Peter and Derek, to rub their face into what had happened to their family and perhaps also as a threat against them should they dare to continue to exist.

Deuc found he could not conceive of what this had to have felt like. He was glad, genuinely happy, that this was not his burden to carry—neither the loss of ones’ family so brutally, nor the reality of walking around with the names of victims carved into you as a record of everything that was lost, ripped away from this world by that monster!

Deuc very softly, asked, “How?”

Stiles took a steadying breath, saying, “How what?”

Deuc took his own breath, reminding himself to be clear to the Alpha. “How do you bear this all being cut into you? Wearing it every single day.”

Stiles spoke, a bemused smile in his voice, “I didn’t really get a say. Still don’t really.”

The Demon Wolf shook his head a hint. “You do though. I doubt Peter wouldn’t be willing to foot the bill to take this all away. Not just the victim names, but also the burned in ‘Wolf Bait.’ You could escape it in that way.”

Stiles sighed. “No, I can’t. I cannot let down these people, the people these names represent as well as any family, friends, or others who may not know. Who may still be looking. I won’t make others go through the pain of not knowing what happened. If nothing, there are others. No one victim is alone, and we can help.’

“We can help and connect people to resources and each other. We cannot blame it all on not being our problem. It’s carved into my literal flesh. It is my problem, and really everyone’s. If no one knows what has happened, then no one can be held accountable. Because even after Gerard was killed, there are still others. Others who helped him with Lydia, Ally, and I as well as helped to make these names that could be carved into me. I refuse to abandon them to nothingness—any of them.”

Deuc didn’t know what to say to that. Then again, did he really need to say anything? Or was it more of a rhetorical statement, a statement of what Stiles considered more fact than a simple expression of preference.

Deuc leaned forward, just a hint, “So that is how?”

Stiles didn’t say anything at first. Possibly searching for the words? Right words maybe? Was there even such a thing as right words?

Finally seeming to settle on what to do, Stiles popped his neck, then said, “It’s not so much of a ‘how do I do it,’ but more of a ‘how dare you not.’ How dare you not take this moment, these letters that form names and do what is right by them. Do for them what I would have wanted someone to do for me if I had not made it out of there if I have become another name to carve into another victim. I’d want the people I cared about to know.”

Nodding, Deucalion could not help but say, “That is noble of you. It’s not what I tend to expect from Alphas.”

Stiles’ clothes rustled as though he had fidgeted. “Maybe it should be. I mean, isn’t being an Alpha about taking care of people, protecting your people, your family?”

Deuc shrugged. “It can be, but it can also be about power, the taboo, sex, and even the beast within. It can even be philanthropic though it usually is not.”

Stiles responded, “Well, it’s how I think it should be. Seems pointless to be an Alpha just for the sake of it.”

Peter hummed. “Can you see why we all follow him?”

Deuc nodded. “It is definitely something.”

Stiles sighed again. “Is it really normal for Alphas to be just big ol’ assholes?”

Shrugging, Duke said, “Far more so than one might think.”

Peter then corrected. “For some groups. However, for situations like family packs, it is very much what you’ve described for yourself. It’s something that varies Alpha to Alpha and pack to pack, but the attitude you’re taking is closer to what a lot of packs of hereditary wolf families treat it as.”

Deuc shrugged again. “But, if the wrong person inherits the Alpha spark in that scenario, everyone ends up screwed. Additionally, if a pack is hunted, it is easier to lure them out and kill the line as hunters have learned to, when they catch some of the weakest and killing all of the pack in one swoop or even over time until the spark lands in the weak person they’ve captured and they kill the line, removing the spark from circulation all together.’

“There are a lot of downsides to hereditary familial passing down of an Alpha spark. It can be done well, but that has a lot of internal, specific to the pack, factors as well as territory factors to take into consideration as to what is technically best. Personally, I’m proof that being too benevolent can really ruin things.”

Stiles reached out and gently squeezed the back of Deuc’s neck in comfort. “That doesn’t always have to be the way. I know you’ve been through a lot, and that nothing I say will ever take that away or even ease that pain, but hopefully I will never screw you or any of this pack over in any way. I promise I will do my best.”

Deuc barely refrained from rolling his eyes as he said, “The road to hell was paved with good intentions.”

Stiles laughed for a moment, saying, “Then I guess it’s good the pavement and I don’t get along.”

Deuc then reached back to place his hand warmly on Stiles. “I know you mean well, though your relationship with pavement can be a factor, I don’t think metaphors will fix anything.”

However, Deuc paused and dropped his hand, stopping an intent even of exploration as he heard someone approaching the front door of the house. The Demon Wolf stepped back from Stiles and out of his grasp even before anyone had said word one.

Likely intended as explanation, Peter said, “You’ve got company.”

Stiles was quick to his dresser, pulling out an over-sized t-shirt that he then pulled onto himself to hide his upper body.

Then a knock on the door.

Looking at Peter, Stiles didn’t have to ask.

Peter said, “Scott.”

--------------------------------------------------

Scott rubbed his hands against his jeans. He felt jumpy and too cold. Even though he knew he could not get sick, Scott still just didn’t feel right. He felt strangely empty in a way he had never felt before. It unnerved in too much for him to stay away.

Although he’d been able to spend time without accepting Peter and went Alpha-free for months in the beginning, Scott needed the pack like a fix. The way it had been, in the false reality? It was different. It fed needs he didn’t know he had. He’d accept, welcomed even, his inner wolf there. And now?

Now it wouldn’t let him fully shove it aside anymore. He didn’t know that such a thing was even really in him. He’d doubted anyone who spoke about having an inner wolf before, but now? Now it was all too real as was the reality that he did not have an anchor to help, which left him even more pack dependent.

When the front door opened, Scott immediately hugged whoever answered. They felt like his pack, and he felt too desperate in that moment to judge who he was hugging. He just hugged them like his life depended on it. He snuffled at Peter’s clothes, recognizing him by scent in the hug as well as in the way the man never fully hugged him.

The older wolf probably still held so much against Scott. The teen wasn’t sure the exacts of the situation, but that came in a lot of ways from the lack of talk between the two of them. More time was spent having to deal with Scott’s intensely clingy inner wolf pushing Scott around quite a bit even with it having only been two days since reality was restored.

Thankfully, with the way things went down, Scott’s Mom had called him in sick for the week to give him time just like he assumed the others had done. However, this coming week, Scott had to go back to school. He’d managed to change around his class schedule as Stiles had wanted him to having at least one pack member in every class with him so that he would not be left alone.

Not liking the loss of his independence in a sense, Scott still had to have that kind of support. His wolf had no tolerance for being dejected like it apparently had been before—or so Peter had explained. The baggage between them really did go both ways between Scott and Peter as well as Scott and his wolf.

Scott then felt Stiles’ spider-like long fingers pulling him into the house and away from Peter. Willingly moving to be beside Stiles, Scott snuffled at his Alpha’s shoulder.

It had been a hard reckoning to realize that the only Alpha willing to take Scott in was Stiles. All the others followed Stiles too. It was a distinct wound to Scott’s pride. A human Alpha was everyone’s preferred Alpha. Even when Scott was an Alpha, he’d only sort of had a pack in name alone that was magically forced to his side, and Theo who was using and manipulating him, not that it was really that hard apparently.

Scott wanted to believe he was special, better than all the others who were monsters. He was the good guy, the white hat cowboy. That really should’ve been the clue that something was wrong. Wasn’t Stiles always talking about how in old movies what was considered ‘right’ and ‘moral’ wasn’t always really the truth of the matter? Even in some newer movies it could be a problem.

God, Scott had missed Stiles even though his pride and false beliefs about himself and Stiles shoved his friend as far the fuck away as possible while they both still breathed. Scott wanted to hit his head against a wall sometimes. Over so many of his stupid choices in the past.

Feeling the way just being in Stiles’s presence, let alone touching the Alpha, made Scott feel so incredibly whole in a way he’d never experienced before, including sex really showed Scott that he’d never really understood pack or how things should be really.

Hooking an arm around Stiles, Scott asked those there, “Hey, so, can I spend the night tonight? Please?”

Stiles tilted his head faintly, “Sure. Why though?”

Scott mumbled a moment, before forcing himself to use his words even as he blushed a deep scarlet color of embarrassment. “My wolf felt lonely last night, so it was hard to sleep.”

Nodding, Stiles said. “Okay. Thank you for explaining. Do you want to talk about it?”

Scott was still blushing. They’d all already had to talk about how things needed to change for Scott. He couldn’t ignore this anymore, hence having to explain things more to not only keep on his mind his wolfs’ needs and wants to say what he needs so that others can help fulfill that.

Before his short time in Peter’s pack within the false reality, wherein he willingly became a werewolf, Scott had considered himself a victim. He was always looking at things as something done to him that he needed to suppress to allow him to be the good guy. Now, he could better see the positives of the bite, and he could no longer hold up to himself let alone anyone else the argument that he had been a good Alpha let alone any kind of positive werewolf.

Scott ran his fingers up and down Stiles’ side. It was an innocent touch, but it let the wolf within Scott calm and melted like jelly, rolling in getting to be so close to the Alpha. Was this how the others felt all the time? Is this why they all took turns sleeping with Stiles?

Was it something unconscious for them, all instinct, natural? Was he just over-thinking it all? He wanted to ask Peter or Deuc, but he didn’t fully trust either even though his wolf trusted Peter without question because Stiles did. There was too much history there for Scott still. Too much he didn’t want to have to talk about even though he suspected he was going to have to at some point.

Realizing Stile was looking at him expectantly, Scott shook his head. “No, bro. I’m just still adjusting to really FEELING the wolf inside.”

Stiles nodded, but he did not look satisfied.

While his wolf wanted to have the Alpha’s approval at all times, Scott felt too weird to follow that right this second. Stiles was, after all, Scott’s peer. Even beyond that, their friendship was in tatters when Stiles accepted Scott as a beta. There was a lot to rebuild, especially trust.

Scott, after reality was restored, suddenly realized how out of touch he had been. Peter had explained some of it to him—how he was an Omega even though he was too distanced from his wolf to feel it, or at least to recognize that things were not right.

Wondering what in the hell he was supposed to be doing now, now that everything had changed, Scott noticed Stiles sitting on the couch. Scott was quick to sit beside his Alpha even though it perplexed him in so many ways all the things he felt about Stiles with this new dynamic.

They were not really brothers anymore. That all had been burned to the ground. Yet, there was more than just being nice there too. Maybe Stiles was giving him a real chance, a chance to repair things between them to become something like what they once were? Scott hoped so—he really did. Scott missed Stiles so much more than he had even touched on before he even realized just how much he had lost.

He wanted to talk to Allison, ask if he really had been as bad as he was beginning to understand; however, Scott doubted that was a situation he was welcome to. She had not seemed too thrilled with him being in the pack even though Stiles had informed him Ally wasn’t in the pack anymore, but she was still an ally.

Each step of the way forward, he was learning so much by just listening. It blew his mind how much he had missed since being turned. That used to a strength of his. Stiles talked and Scott nodded along and listened more often than not. It was comfortable. It made him so ashamed that he’d let that go without even noticing it. And for what? Sex?

Yeah, sex was pretty great, but sex wasn’t forever, all day, all the time. There was more to life even if in the moment it didn’t feel that way. He’d left his best friend then blamed said friend for changing. While yes, Stiles did change—Scott changed first, and he didn’t mean being bitten either. He changed and grew a fat head with an even bigger ego.

Scott shook his head faintly at himself.

Stiles then leaned his head against Scott’s, saying, “Hey, let’s watch a movie… or play a game or something.”

Scott nodded easily, for just a sec feeling like everything was as it used to be, as he’d thought once it would always be. A lop-sided grin on his face, Scott said, “Want to throw down on some old school Mortal Kombat?”

Stiles smiled. “Sure.”

While setting up the game, Stiles asked, “How’ve your grades been? I know we’ve not discussed it yet, but the pack and I have been working to raise everyone’s grade point average. With you being in the pack, we’re going to work you into that as well as start you in the physical training we all are doing.”

Scott looked to him, confused. “You guys are working on grades and fighting? We didn’t do that.”

-----------------------------------------------

At the same time, Derek’s Loft…

Derek laid chest down on his bed with his head resting on his folded arm. He was bare chested in jeans and tube socks. He’d taken his shoes off in advance for being on his bed.

Stradling his body with her knees on either side of his hips, Alice lit a small piece of paper on fire before placing a small glass cup over the fire, causing Derek’s back flesh beneath the fire to partially suck up into the glass.

This was the third time that Alice had done some fire cupping to help Derek. She, like the last time, was in yoga pants and a loose t-shirt from him. They’d ordered her some more clothes, but they’d not arrived just yet.

Meanwhile, she then grabbed from the breakfast tray she had sitting beside her and Derek on the bed, another piece of paper and her lighter. She lit that paper once it was on Derek’s back before quickly grabbing another glass cup from the tray and placing it over the fire.

It was a process, but in less than five more minutes she had a whole thirteen cups on Derek’s back. She then took to massaging his sides while the suction with the cups was doing their thing. She was doing deep tissue massage with focus on the muscles over Derek’s rib cage with her thumbs. Alice was certified for massage and some New Age/Old traditional therapeutic methods. She’d been getting back into action with Derek as a form of project.

Thankfully, Alice was familiar with hiding her tells. years of rough situations as well as once upon a time keeping up a brave front in the face of terminal cancer with the family, she once had close contact with. It also helped that when she was turned, it was done on the downlow initially before it was revealed to her family. Not too long after that though, the sadistic hunter had captured her.

Regardless, as a result of learning to hide her tells, Alice was still managing to keep to herself how this was helping to keep her afloat. It was brutal to feel so powerless, silenced with her removed vocal cords that would not heal, grow back. The damage done was permanent.

It was mind boggling in so many ways how she had gone from a supernatural badass who could heal from anything to a disabled wolf. Such a thing was barely conceivable for her on a good day let alone the crippling sadness and stress of a bad day.

With her hair snarled up into a messy bun on top of her head, Alice moved her focus to massaging his shoulders where a lot of the tension was stored. She wondered sometimes if Derek literally stored tension in his eyebrows, but Alice had not gathered up the strength and willingness to ask him that.

Overall, she was secretly grateful for Derek missing an arm. She doesn’t wish disability on others or anything like that, but it was strangely soothing to not be the only one with a limitation. As it was, Derek was missing an arm and Deucalion was blind. Again, she was sad they’d been through whatever had left them in these states, but she was still grateful to be in a pack that accepted such things.

Her family’s pack were not so accepting. It didn’t seem they were involved with the hunter getting her, but they had not been accepting of the issue even though she could not help it. It’s not like she chose this for herself.

Thankfully, Boyd and Erica had been with her when Alice’d had to face her family and reveal she was still alive, okay in some ways while not in others. Alice still wondered if they’d have preferred, she have been killed than have the seeming untouchability of werewolves be challenged by her very existence and the things about her that could not be changed.

Thankfully, her biological family wasn’t as close-minded. The whole werewolf was still new to them, so her now having no voice, while sad, was so much better than her dying of cancer. They were mostly happy she was alive, but worried for her safety. It was understandable, for Alice, that there would be concerns, but she was lucky. She’d already known American Sign Language (ASL) and was currently taking refuge with a pack that not only accepted her as is, but didn’t treat her any different from anyone else in the group.

Blinking away her thoughts as best she could, Alice moved to gently massaging the back of Derek’s neck. Previously, Derek and her had discussed the massage aspect of today’s work, so she knew where he would allow and where he would not.

It was handy and prevented any unintentional trauma for either of them.

Alice then moved to massaging his scalp, humming softly for a bit. She wanted every part of this to be soothing and healing of a kind. She wanted to give him what she had not yet been able to find for herself: peace and perhaps even acceptance. She didn’t know Derek’s story—the man was seriously not a talker—but she wanted to know. She suspected it would be a long term endeavor as he was very clearly not too quick to trust. In some ways, Alice was surprised he allowed this much. Then again, he’d not expected the results he was getting either. It seemed the stress and tension relief were quite helpful for him, hence his allowing as much as he had.

Gentling the scalp massage further, Alice wanted to coo softly to Derek, ask him if he was ready for the cups to come off, but she knew she could not. Instead, she'd need to move to catch his eye and sign to him.

---------------------------------------------------------

At the same time, in the main area of Derek’s loft, Erica was cuddled up to Boyd watching a marathon of Avatar the Last Air Bender. In her comfy pajamas still, Erica stroked her fingers over Boyd’s arm to comfort both herself and him as they zoned out looking at Derek’s flat screen tv.

Meanwhile, the old man werewolf Gerard had tortured and had lost his family was working methodically from one move to the next. First, he stood with his legs aligned with his hips and his arms outstretched to either side of him while twisting his upper body back and forth like an upside-down spinning top that moved one way after the next rather than all one direction or the other. He did that 360 movement a few dozen times before moving to lay on his back on the ground.

The wolf in human skin stuck both legs up at a 90 degree angle like he was planting his feet against an invisible barrier while his head was curved up to look down at his toes without moving his back at all. He then lowered his legs slowly down to the floor before raising his legs back up to like before. He kept moving back and forth between the two positions for a few dozen times of that before moving on.

He then stood upright on his knees. He put his hands to the back of his hips while leaning his head forward to look down at his knees before leaning his head back and slightly arching his back backwards. The old man went back and forth a few dozen times before moving on again.

As the older man went through all five different movements a few dozen times each, some of the hatchlings toddled out of Isaac’s room to start trying to mimic the old man. The little babes seemed eager to stretch and frolic. They seemed to take to the wolves best and humans the least, except for Stiles.

He’d made peace with their Mother, with the father’s help, so that the pack could be around and interact with the hatchlings as well as help out as much as they could. It was a slow process, but Stiles had made some serious headway since they’d been returned to true reality.

Erica could not help but wonder something how they all had gotten here. It wasn’t just pure willpower. There was more to it, but she still couldn’t fully believe how far things had come since Boyd and her watched Stiles goading Gerard and the others, to keep the hunters’ focus on his human smarting off rather than torturing Erica and Boyd.

Snuggling in tighter to Boyd, Erica found herself hoping that the world would relax now that they were all back together, including some of those lost. It was sad that not all the Hales had been brought back, but even just Laura seemed like a big gift even if she still seemed pretty out of it.

---------------------------------------------------------

About the same time, Argent house…

Thankfully, the crime tape was gone, pictures taken, and her father had paid to get the entire house fully cleaned, repainted, and all the damaged things removed as fast as possible. While not every room was done yet, the cleaning had occurred in every room, and the livingroom was among the rooms that were put back together if with far fewer furniture pieces. There was a lot that would need to be replaced.

Sitting in the livingroom, Ally rubbed her face softly. It was so surreal to be back to the true reality. She’s told herself so much about her Mom since her Mom’s death—before and after knowing the truth of it—that after having her Mom for not long enough was reshaped. Her Mom loved her, yes, but was far more extreme than Ally tended to let herself dwell on.

Even more so, somehow her parent’s marriage seemed worse off in the false reality wherein her Mom had lived longer than in the one wherein she died sooner. The whole idea of her still being around rung hollow now that she’d seen a version of what that could’ve been like.

In some ways, it made her wish that her Mom had taken to the Argent habit of journaling to document for those who came after. Ally wished she knew, maybe even had a window into what her Mom was thinking. Was she like Kate—messed up early on? Or was she always that way? Or perhaps the exposure to Gerard had set her off?

Allison may never know, but it was hard for Ally to decide if that was for the better or not. It really was a hard answer to discern, especially after what the false reality revealed about how things could have been.

Strangely it made Allison grateful for everything she went through and dealt with due to Scott. There were a LOT of bad things that came with that, but meeting Stiles and learning of the world of the supernatural sooner was still likely in her long-term best interest.

Shaking her head at herself, Allison stood from her chair pulled up to her little homework desk in that’s been moved to the livingroom while her bedroom was being set up for paint after some more deep cleaning and bleach. While she did have homework, Allison just did not feel up to dealing with it. She really wanted to be with Lydia, but right now, the fiery red head was in a therapy appointment in her Dad’s office with Ally’s Dad and the therapist.

Ally knew she needed to stay in the livingroom where she couldn’t hear what was going on, but it was hard when her mind just kept going to not so great places.

It did not help that she could hear Rod, Grit, and Sam in the kitchen making food. Said food making sounded loud enough to imply a mess was being made too.

Shaking her head at herself, Ally moved to the new couch. She knelt beside it and pulled a stout chest out from beside it that had been in her room, hidden from those who’d ransacked the house. She opened the chest and pulled out the green journal of Henri Argent’s to read more. While she’s been through most of it, Allison liked revisiting it to process pieces of it more critically as well as thinking through possible uses of different things as well as refreshing herself on the things she’d learned from the journal.

Since reality was righted, Allison had returned to reading old documents and journals Gerard had hoarded. Sadly, many of the writers had been severely twisted in terms of perspective. To think, there were plenty of relatives who were monsters though none to Gerards level but for maybe Kate.

Then again, who needed more family twisted when there clearly were non-related hunters more than willing to help Gerard and do his dirty work when Gerard wasn’t busy basking in the gore and tortures.

Allison looked at the journal in her hands. She brought it with her as she stood and sat on the couch, pulling her legs up to sit cross-legged on the dark white and blue paisley couch. Leaning forward a touch as she opened the journal, Ally quickly flipped to a section she’d scanned a bit before but not read fully yet. Although the journal was not gigantic, the hand writing in it was incredibly tiny cursive.

Plus, there was a surprisingly broad range of information, particularly in terms of ways to make peace and or protect from a range of creatures. It was surreal as a comparative to what their family had become. It was disgusting.

After shaking her head some at herself as well as to get her mind onto other thoughts to fully engage in her reading, Allison read:

On the fourth quarter moon of the year, it is best to convert to ash and or refresh your guards on your person and locations you seek to secure.

I have harvested 3 lbs of wild White Yarrow. Soon, I’ll have it all braided and wound together to place in a ring around the house. Once I have it all in place, I can light it on fire. Due to having done these many years in a row, there is already a dirt outline. However, after I have done my normal Yarrow and sprinkle of Mountain Ash, this year, I am adding Mistletoe and Blackberry branches.

Although I do not know what all my beloved intends, I do know she is of a more violent persuasion—very much of an attitude of the best defense being offense. As such, I feel it is appropriate to prepare to defend against a wider range of creatures than I normally do.

I have also made contact with another hunting family, akin to my beloved while not being affiliated with her so far, and I am hoping to barter with them, trading some of my blessed and braided Yarrow and Wolf’s Bane for supplies and Ash samplings.

Allison then got up and grabbed a notebook. She plopped back on the couch, scurrying into sitting cross-legged only to have to reach for a pen from her desk. Once she had everything she needed to use, Ally took notes in the notebook on what Henri had written. Although she doubted doing exactly that would be plausible in general, Allison knew that they all got into a lot of strange and intense situations that may call for this knowledge to help.

To be fair, she never thought she’d have to help summon a figure from history that was a fey creature. Let alone that somehow, her knowledge of random ‘supposed’ female serial killers in the medieval landscape in time would somehow come into play in any of their lives—ever.

Nothing could be discounted these days. She’d rather take a note that she’d never use than fail to take note and end up needing the information. Even odd knowledge, it seemed, could be incredibly handy to possess.

Well, that, stamina, and a healthy appetite.

Returning to the journal, she flipped to another section she’d flagged for later:

My beloved has become paranoid of late. I understand that having given birth to our beautiful daughter was a massive event for her on every level of being. Protective instincts are strong for us both about each other, but especially our daughter. However, her attitudes of “attack them before they can attack us” are growing without limit.

It seems she seeks to rid the land of the supernatural. Her biggest concerns are of werewolves, but other creatures should be gone too in her mind. I understood and loved her ferocity in defeating her brother in his pursuits. That was unquestionably necessary. But now?

We have neither direct nor indirect threats around us. She’s reaching out into areas that are by far none of our care and seeking out supernatural creatures to kill. She is becoming frighteningly blood-thirsty. She is still human—I have checked, but she is just convinced that all the supernatural are coming for our daughter even though there is no true evidence of this or even evidence that anyone even knows about our daughter outside of our immediate circle, let alone a few settlements out.

Ally felt some serious concern about where this may be going. She hadn’t thought so, but now worried that perhaps Marie-Jeanne killed Henri. Allison knew the answer would not be in the journal, but she hoped she was wrong. Marie-Jeanne was not Gerard, but the similarities were concerning.

Then again, maybe it was not a similarity. Gerard didn’t really care about anyone outside of their use to him. If this is right, Marie-Jeanne was scared. She was fearful for her daughter. While the violent murder was still bad, it was unfair to associate that with Gerard. Marie deserved more respect than that. If nothing else, Marie-Jeanne had not yet to be described as carving into innocents, let alone her own granddaughter!

Shaking her head at herself, Allison set aside the journal, notebook, and pen.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Almost two hours later, Stilinski house…

Stiles sat on the edge of the diningroom table, sending a text to his Dad:

Look, I know you want to be there, but unfortunately I can’t avoid my concerns that it will be seen as an act of aggression to bring the local Sheriff into the discussion.

A moment later, Stiles got a reason from his Dad:

I just worry for your safety.

Stiles sighed. He sent his Dad:

I get it, and I love you too!

With that sent, Stiles’ attention returned to the room he was in. looking about himself, Stiles saw his pack positioned as he’d worked to do since those intended to be there had all shown up.

Scott was sitting on a chair near Stiles, draping an arm over his Alpha’s leg to maintain contact.

Erica was sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor with Boyd sitting cross-legged beside her. Together, they were practicing syncing up partially shifting of their hands, a finger, just half their face, and more with one another. They were also practicing micro-shifting wherein they were only using a fraction of their potential but focused in on one specific thing.

It had been something they had been working on since before reality had been altered, then restored.

Stiles thought it was something worth exploring in the long run to try and have as many possible skills as possible, tools in one’s metaphoric toolbox.

Peter was muttering with Deuc on the stairs.

Looking at them, Stiles really wondered what they were discussing. Although he didn’t feel like it was right to micro-manage things and people, Stiles could not pretend he did not have control issues fed into by his insecurities and anxieties.

Stiles moved to stand.

Scott looked up at him with his big ol’ puppy eyes.

Not up to bothering with explanations or really making Scott feel like he was doing anything wrong, Stiles nodded toward Peter and Deuc.

Catching the hint, the Alphas got up to follow their leader. Scott ran a hand through his hair as he seemed ready to stalk Stiles across the house.

Stiles refrained from sighing as he moved to the two other Alphas. The situation with Scott since reality had been returned to its true state really made Stiles question why neither Ally nor Kira had complete meltdowns about Scott’s intense obsession with them.

Although he hated using the term, as it was often used to minimize the seriousness of the situation, Stiles really felt that Scott had some very serious daddy issues. Overall parent issues really. Scott was raised by a single Mom who had to work her ass off as a nurse to keep them afloat. Until being bitten, Scott really only had Stiles as a friend and most others as bullies.

Stiles rolled his shoulders, reminding himself that he too had those same leanings due to losing his Mom so young as well as having a similar single parent affair growing up. Stiles didn’t look down on Scott or get angry with him about how clingy he was right now. More so, Stiles worried for his once friend and wanted to get him help. Though, honestly, even Stiles knew it was rich coming from him about mental health. Stiles was the pot calling the Scott kettle black.

Re-focusing himself, Stiles stood before Peter and Deuc, asking, “Think we are good to go on meeting with Noshiko?”

At the same time, Scott stood beside Stiles with his arm touching Stiles’ arm.

Wearing a swaddling sling with the fox kit in the front, Peter looked ready to rip the entire house apart at just that name being spoken aloud even though only one of his eyes was blow to black. “We’re discussing where the kit should be during the meeting. While I think that bringing the fox to the meeting could be a tool, I sadly think that the Nogitsune is right in that it is best to prevent any opening for the kit to be stolen from us. According to the Nogitsune, you should never trust a fox.”

Stiles nodded. “Maybe Derek would be a good someone to leave the kit with? He is kind of a gentle giant one could argue.”

Unexpected laughter burst out of Peter before he smirked, saying, “God, let me tell him you said that. I would love to see the look on his face at that.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “that laugh help?”

Peter kept grinning.

Meanwhile, Laura quietly stepped up to beside her uncle.

Deuc then looked to Stiles, asking, “Are you sure you should be there? I mean, this is an issue between foxes.”

Wearing a sardonic smile, Stiles said, “Sadly, I think Peter’ll need back up to keep from things blowing up in all our faces, especially since I agree with the Nogitsune that the odds of Noshiko bringing in Alpha Ilto to pressure things into going her way is high. I am not going to have a pack that we’ve never met that didn’t jump to help us at any point before try to muscle in and tell us what to do in our territory now.’

“Kind of an if you can’t care for me broken and in need of help, then you do not deserve to have a say in things when I don’t have need for your input, in a way.”

Laura offered Peter, “If you want, I can go with to help?”

Peter shook his head softly, “We just got you back. I’m not risking you so soon.”

Laura frowned at that

Deuc frowned at Stiles words while perking a brow to Laura’s words and response.

Stiles continued, saying, “I just—I know that things may be more complicated than how I’ve described them, but I’m refraining from trusting, believing the best of people until I have a better measure of the situation and their role in it. I do not want Peter, or any of us really, being blind-sided by Ilto’s pack, particularly when trying to address the well-being of an innocent fox kit with the woman who betrayed a pack member. Even if she’s the parent of a possible future packmate—Kira.”

Deucalion nodded. “Fair points. Honestly, I’m much more of the attitude to just kill Noshiko and be done with it.”

Stiles sighed. “Not really an option.”

Deuc shrugged, but then grinned. “Could do her in and then just move on.”

Laura seemed to perk some at that, though it was unclear why.

Shaking his head while making a mental note to pull Laura aside and talk with her one on one, Stiles said, “We both know that is not going to happen. My Dad’s the Sheriff after all.”

What neither said was that technically, Deuc could kill her and leave town, screwing the rest of them over. It was unsaid, in part, because they were coming up on a reality they’d all not really finished discussing: what the next step for the Alpha pack was.

Deucalion was mostly healed up, so the deal with Aiden and Ethan was coming to a close. Although Ethan and Aiden had not really taught the pack tons, everyone had been pretty busy along the way. But regardless, when the deal expired, what would come next? Would they stay with Stiles’ pack? In the beginning such a thing sounded insane, but now? A more possible route. Add on the question of if Peter’s deal with Deuc in the false reality would be kept? Well, it was not exactly a certainty one way or the other just yet.

No one spoke one way or the other about what was next. And, if the Alpha pack left, especially now that Kali and Ennis were back even though the later no longer had a wolf form, would they attack Stiles’ pack? Would they try to get Stiles to kill his pack for power except for Peter? Would they want Peter to do that?

It was hard to say. Stiles would like to think no, but he did not read minds by any stretch of the imagination. He also understood that a lot had happened. Ethan was flirting his way around Danny, but what would come of that? Would that be enough to keep the Alpha pack interested in peace?

It was hard to say. Everything just seemed up in the air with too much room to go any which way, regardless, Stiles did know that under no circumstance would he bed killing his pack for power or anything else. He viewed being an Alpha as being about protecting and caring for those who follow him. It seemed cruel to kill those who trusted you so much as to follow you.

Stiles also knew Peter wouldn’t kill them all for power. Stiles understood that Peter had so much that he wanted right now, including the surviving members of his family in the same pack as him, living their lives with him in those lives.

Running a hand through his own unshorn hair, Stiles worked to keep his heartbeat even and his breathing in time with said beat. “I think the reality is that the whole thing is going to be a balancing act walking on an extremely thin line.”

Deuc nodded.

Peter added, “Honestly, I think one of the big issues is going to be the unveiling of the Nogitsune within me. I doubt that is going to go over well. Sadly, there is no mediating that impact as there is no version of that information being revealed wherein there is not a jump to violence.”

Stiles laid a hand on Peter’s hand in an effort at comfort. “Well, hopefully you both having support present will help. We’re a crazy pack, but we’re not murdering rampage after rampage. It may be a surprise, to them at least, that things can be done reasonably when everyone involved isn’t being a mega-douche-nugget-McGee.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Really? That’s what you’re going to call people being awful?”

Shrugging, Stiles said, “Eh, it’s what came to mind. As it is, they should feel pretty damn special in that I do not intend to bring Isaac to use his fey buddies to scare the shit out of them, forcing them to let us do what we want. At the beginning at least, I am willing to try being reasonable. I don’t feel like we’re asking for insane considerations.”

Deuc just watched them.

Scott asked, “Reasonable? You guys have the kit, why not just go along with finders being keepers.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Seriously?”

Shrugging, Scott said, “What can I say? I like it simple. They can’t force you to give it up. You have like…what? Six Alphas in your pack?”

Sighing, Stiles said, “While that isn’t untrue, I really do not want to start a major fight. I’d like to try and get along with those around us. I don’t need us to be feared. I just want us safe.”

Scott tilted his head slightly, “Then why not just tell them that Peter’s a kitsune too and call it at that?”

Kindly with the knowledge that Scott had not fully been let in on everything, Stiles said, “Because there’s history there. It’s why Chris and Ally will be there. They’ll moderate. And we will have other help too, who can attest to things being okay.”

Scott nodded, hooking an arm around Stiles’ waist, clearly seeking to be closer.

Peter perked a brow.

Stiles gave a faint shake of his head, telling Peter to let it go for now. Even though he knew this would need to be discussed, Stiles was very much of the mind that it was something to not add onto their plates right this moment. As it was, they were looking to be meeting with Noshiko in an hour or so. That alone was more than enough to stress about.

Sighing again, Stiles scrubbed his face with both hands before looking to Peter with sadly reduced-sleep eyes, asking, “Do you think it would look bad to go there in more than one vehicle?”

Peter shook his head. “May be the safer option. As it is, we have no idea who is or is not coming with Noshiko. It could Ilto. It could be Ilto’s whole pack. It could be more. It could be an ambush or not. There is just too much room for speculation. We won’t know for sure until we get there.”

Stiles sighed. “At least we’ve been able to keep the Nemeton protected for the time being. I’m sure the Ilto pack, should they have been trying to go to the Nemeton found the awful surprise I left, with Isaac’s help of course.”

Deuc chuffed. “You were kinder than I would’ve been.”

Stiles shook his head with a smile. “Leave it to you to find a dark upside of sorts.”

Deuc just grinned back.

Scott shook a moment. “I don’t know how you do it, Peter. I really don’t. How can you have your wolf be so active in you all the time without losing your mind?”

It was Peter’s turn to grin as he said, “Tsk, tsk. Don’t forget, I did go insane.”

Scott flinched at the memories of how things were in the beginning were brought back up. “Wait, did you go insane in part because of your wolf?”

Peter shrugged. “Yes and no. Losing so many pack bonds so suddenly, brutally…. The visceral feelings and sounds and everything else that comes with your whole pack, family, and more being burned alive is trauma for anyone, let alone a pack animal like the wolf inside. My wolf was driven to frenzy. It didn’t get out of that for a long time.”

Scott’s eyes were wide. For once, it did not seem to be in fear or anger as he looked to Peter but rather awe.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings** Contemplation of death/s, violence, implied abuse/torture**

Thank you for reading <3

Bookmarks, kudos, and comments let me know your take on things as well as feed my feral plot jackals

While around and waiting for the next update, perhaps try out these stories:

"You Can Call Me Your Boyfriend (Anytime) by Therapeutic_Steter in which a chance meeting at a cafe has Peter giving Stiles a tattoo among other things. https://archiveofourown.org/works/14898467

"The Pack Make the Alpha" by iCheat that shows a town with four Alphas post the Alpha Pack, but Peter picks a fifth. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17088278

"I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus" by gemjam in which its an alternate human universe where single father Peter takes his selectively mute daughter, Malia to see Santa Claus with a hope of opening her up more to speak. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17089985

"Discord and Rhyme" by goddessofcruelty wherein a freshly turned Chris walks in on Stiles and Peter together. https://archiveofourown.org/works/2123238

Chapter 5: Nearing the Edge

Summary:

Noshiko. Void. Survival. Threat. Pizza. Seven Swan brothers. Questions. Reaching. Ilto. Shadow.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings** in the end note.

Thank you for still reading!

I get that things are on the slower side, but we're gearing up into the starting action of secrets unfolding as should on-going once it all really gets going. There just ground work to lay before the launch. Thank you for your patience!

Driving up to beacon hills ‘high school was surreal. Stiles was glad he was driving, but at the same time, he wondered if him bringing the jeep while Derek drove his SUV was the best plan. They all parked along the side of the lacrosse field as if they were all there to see a game.

However, it was not a day of sports. It was long after lacrosse practice and school, even clubs. It was all empty and the closest thing to neutral ground Stiles had been able to come up with.

Once he had turned off his vehicle, Stiles climbed out, then texted his Dad:

We’re at the lacrosse field. So far, so good. Don’t see anyone. How’re you doing?

Stiles waited a moment. He had to.

His Dad texted back:

All good here. Erica and Mel are discussing dinner plans.

Stiles rolled his eyes.

Stiles put his phone in his back pocket. He’d chosen to wear loose jeans, a baggy Captain America t-shirt, and sneakers. Stiles hoped his casual would bring down the tension levels at least somewhat.

Peter came up from behind Stiles in a three-piece suit—all black, including the dress shirt and business shoes, whispering, “They’re here.”

Stiles nodded faintly, glancing toward Peter, noticing Deuc and him holding hands.

Deuc wore dark slacks, a crisp white shirt, and black dress shoes. He wore a feral grin. It seemed the man was a little too eager for Stiles’ taste.

Stiles said softly, “Please dial back the serial killer grin, Deucalion.”

Deucalion chuffed, but he dropped the grin anyways.

Knowing the others were here but not visible yet made Stiles very happy they did not bring the fox kit with them.

From the SUV, Derek emerged in jeans and a Henley like normal though his bitch face was dialed up.

Alice climbed out of the vehicle next in black slacks, a black t-shirt with Shit written across it in big boxy letters, sneakers, and a phone out and ready to speak for her.

The last to get out was Lydia, who looked far too squirrely in her flowy short pink dress with yellow heels.

Stiles b-lined for her and swept her into a hug, whispering in her ear as quietly as he could while she could still hear him.. “It’s okay. Ally’ll be here any minute, okay?”

It had been a fight to separate the two girls for this, but both had agreed this was necessary for things to go as they wanted.

Lydia nodded, taking a deep breath in his arms before pulling away. She straightened herself up and put on her Lydia Martin Goddess mask and stood straighter than ever.

Just then, Christopher’s truck pulled up. He got out of the driver’s seat in jeans, a button down and a dark brown jacket, and hiking boots.

Ally got out the passenger door in skinny jeans, a black t-shirt, hiking boots, a pistol in a holster on her hip, and her hair pulled up into a ponytail. She looked pleasantly casual while brandishing an open-carry weapon in a shoulder holster, too.

Stiles would bet money that Chris was armed too, but he hid it with the jacket he wore. Stiles nodded to Chris who nodded back. They all walked toward the bleachers as if to wait for the others.

Then, out of no where stepped Noshiko with an older Asian woman that Stiles assumed was Alpha Ilto.

Noshiko spoke first, “Coming for war?”

Stiles perked a brow. “Odd way to talk about the wellware of a fox kit.”

Noshiko was having none of it. “You’re the one who brought the Demon Wolf. Don’t think we didn’t know.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “The Demon Wolf just HAPPENS to be mated to my Right Hand. It’s pretty common place for an Alpha to bring their Left and Right Hand with them”

“Next, you’re going to say the Demon Wolf is your Left Hand?”

Stiles opened his mouth to say otherwise, but before he could Lydia stepped up.

Lydia flipped her hair as though Noshiko was beneath her. “Actually, that would be me.”

Noshiko frowned, asking. “And what, per chance are you?”

One of Peter’s eyes went black as a smoker’s cough of a voice came out of his mouth. “Don’t play those games. You know exactly what she is.”

Noshiko took a step back and pulled out of seemingly no where her kitanna. “I know that voice.”

Ally stepped in then. “Hence having mediators. Our job here is to help maintain peace and open discourse.”

Ilto asked then, “So, are you seeking help to get rid of the Nogitsune in this wolf?”

Stiles sighed, interrupting whatever Allison might say. “No. We no more intend to rip the Nogitsune out as we are to ignore your crimes against the Nogitsune. However, we’re not here about that. We didn’t come to fight about that.”

Noshiko frowned harder. “Crimes against him? He murdered innocent people.”

Stile sighed. “Not quite. You summoned him. Not the other way around. He didn’t just randomly show up and started killing people. You summoned him, and he did what you asked for. Perhaps a little too much to the letter than the intention—”

The smoker’s cough of a voice got out—“Hey!”

Stiles held up his hand, which silenced the fox for now. “but you called him. You asked him for revenge for what happened. He did what you asked. He attacked and sought to kill everyone you had said he should. How was he to know exactly what you meant since you didn’t say it?’

“He gave you at least some of what you asked for by the time you two locked him up under the Nemeton and left him to lose his god-damned mind. To think, what havoc he could have spread had he been released under the wrong circumstances since you were as reckless with that as you were with your pleas for vengeance.”

Noshiko said, “You are too young to know, to understand. He was never to be released. He would never have been let out.”

Stiles outright rolled his eyes. “False. I found him—by accident and the Nemeton happily offered him up.”

Noshiko said, “Lies. You still should not be raising a kit if you lie so easily, if you’re allowing the Nogitsune, the Demon fox to inhabit your Right Hand!”

Before any in his pack could move closer, Stiles stepped forward. “Or is it that you do not want to face your role in the death of someone you loved? Because here we are. I manage a pack, a family of misfits including a Demon wolf and a Demon fox but we’re not running around murdering everyone left and right. We aren’t summoning creatures and making requests, then going back on things because it wasn’t perfectly the way you thought it should be. You let it loose. You invited it to commit revenge for you, on your behalf. Then you tortured it, forcing the Nogitsune, a once Heavenly Kistune to become a Dark kitsune to survive as much as he could. He is not the villain here. You are.’

“And note how all these people you claim are evil, not one has attacked me for power, murdered me. I’m human. I’m boring and simple in so many ways. Why would they all listen to little ol’ me if they were such rampaging monsters as you would paint them?”

Allison spoke then. “He nor any in his pack, including the Fox spirit in Peter Hale have committed any atrocities. In fact, they’re rescued the fox kit mentioned as well as other’s from a demented hunter’s base.”

Alice then stepped forward, typing into her phone before the phone relayed her words in it’s Siri voice: “Yes, they saved me from a real monster. A hunter too cruel to describe. They saved me when I thought I was already dead. They saved others too.”

Stiles then said. “… and the Nogitsune and Peter Hale, the wolf he is within, saved the Demon wolf, Deucalion, as well as myself even though they received no gain from it. They did because they cared.”

To clarify the level of seriousness with which he was addressing the situation, Stiles peeled his shirt off to revealed his stitched together body and the healing cuts carved into his chest and back. Stiles even did a bit of a spin to give everyone a good look.

Alice looked away, tears in her eyes. She’d never seen them in full before.

Ilto gasped.

Noshiko looked to be at a loss for words.

Stiles sighed before pulling his shirt tentatively back on. “If I thought for one moment that the Nogitsune was a danger to myself or anyone else, I would end it. I honestly don’t know how to do so, but I would find a way. I do not want to be enemies, but that fox kit is not only already bonded to Peter and myself, but also the Dark kitsune. We’ve—the whole pack—have been growing and learning and helping each other heal. The Nogitsune needs love and support like any living creature. We loved him and continue to do so with no strings attached.”

Noshiko still frowned, practically spitting out the reference to the Nogitsune. “Does he love all of you with no strings attached?”

“Stiles?” Peter asked, looking to his Alpha.

Stiles knew without needing to be told what Peter intended to do. “I won’t stop you, but please be careful.”

Peter stepped forward and around his unmoving Alpha. He then offered up his upturned hands. “I can show you… if you let us… or I can tell you.”

While she looked tempted to be shown, Noshiko held her ground and her kitanna. “Tell.”

Peter dropped his hands and nodded. “The initial deal, when I allowed the kitsune within me was that no matter what, if I asked him to leave, he had to and he would. I was dying. He saved my life with the help of my Alpha. I am broken and full of madness, but less now. I didn’t suffer the same as him, but we both have lived lives of being used and abused at different points. We are bound together.’

“I cannot say that the Nogitsune loves every individual in the pack. I just can’t. But I can say that he and I have found a form of symbiosis with one another. And he is loyal to me, my Alpha, and my bound Mate, Deucalion.”

Noshiko seemed concerned.

Ilto though seemed to perk some in interest. “Is the Nogitsune bound by the Mate mark?”

Peter perked a brow.

Stiles then looked to Peter, “May I?”

Peter nodded, saying, “Yes.”

Stiles moved to stand beside Peter, asking, “Is it okay with you, Dark Kitsune?”

Peter’s eyes went fully black as a smoker’s cough of a voice escaped him, “You may. I too am curious.”

Stiles nodded. “Okay.

The human Alpha laid both of his hands on Peter’s left arm. Stiles closed his eyes—arguably an insult to some, implying he didn’t respect Ilto and Noshiko as threat or a great act of trust in the pack members he had brought with him. In the end it was the later, but Stiles didn’t really focus on those things. Instead, Stiles let his own in fire course over Peter like warm water in unseeable waves.

Stiles, after a moment, opened his eyes. “The kitsune is partially bonded in the Mate bond. The fox cannot really kill Deucalion without killing himself and Peter. Outside of that, the rest is just theoretical. Ideally, it’ll never have to be tested again.”

Ilto asked, “Again?”

Stiles sighed. “I don’t know that it affected you, Alpha Ilto, but it did affect the rest of us in a skirmish with the fey about two days ago. In all that went down with that, Peter and Deucalion were both dead and alive at one point. The Nogitsune, however, did not have to die. It had an opportunity to separate first, but he chose to stay and try to save Peter’s life.”

Furrowing her brow, Noshiko asked. “How do you know that? It could have been a trick.”

Stiles sighed. “I know because I was there. I am connected to my pack, and the Nogitsune has submitted to me, willingly choosing to be in my pack. He’s saved me before too.”

Ilto placed a hand on Noshiko’s shoulder. “Perhaps we should take a break. Let us meet again. This time in a more civilized way—over tea. I will have one of my betas approach you at school. I have a few betas in Beacon Hills High.”

-------------------------------------------------------

Stilinski house…

Noah was sitting on the couch, folding clean towels. The need for clean towels seemed endless these days.

Dressed casually, Boyd and Adrian were folding sheets and blankets while standing in the livingroom.

Adrian asked aloud, “Can someone remind me why Stiles washed seven loads of laundry and left them all for us to fold?”

Noah grinned. “Welcome to my son’s schemes.”

Boyd smiled. “He’s keeping us busy, stuck here, and watching the Sheriff and Mel while helping Stiles with the chores he does cause he loves us.”

Adrian flushed faintly in shame. “Okay—yeah, sorry… I think.”

Boyd shrugged. “He needs help sometimes, and it works for him to have pack help out. Kind of like how he and Peter and even Derek do a ton of the cooking.”

Erica piped up from the kitchen, “Or like Lydia and I are always harassing Stiles about his hair and clothes.. or how Chris, Allison, and Noah here are training us all in self-defense… so on and so forth. It’s part of being one big ‘ol dysfunctional family of greatness.”

Noah then got a text even as he smiled at all the kids.

Stiles texted his Dad:

We’re at the lacrosse field. So far, so good. Don’t see anyone. How’re you doing?

Erica announced, “Mel, we should make dinner for when they get home!”

Mel sighed, “Sweetie, after last time when you set off all the fire alarms making popcorn?”

Noah texted back:

All good here. Erica and Mel are discussing dinner plans.

After not getting anything back right away, Noah set the phone on the coffee table and returned to folding clothes. He then asked no one in particular, “are you all planning on staying tonight?”

Boyd nodded, “I intend to. Ethan and Aiden probably will when the others get back.”

Noah then asked. “Where are they after all?”

Boyd shrugged. “With the dragon and his hatchlings. The hatchlings had a hard night last night, so Peter didn’t want them moved to his apartment, yet.”

Noah nodded, moving on to folding the dishtowels and washcloths left from this load.

Meanwhile, Mel came into the kitchen and sat in Noah’s Lazyboy, wearing the sling over her with the fox kit in it. “You know, I think this little guy is just too cute. I makes me wish for grandkids a bit.”

Scott had literally just entered the room from the bathroom in time to have heard that. The teen ducked his head and moved to the basket of clean blankets by the coffee table to return to sorting blankets between whose house they were from. He’d not been trusted to fold, so his job was just to sort. Plus, his scent was not really very welcome, and those folding could cover the scent of his sorting better if he didn’t fold.

Although he knew the teen had made some poor choices, Noah still felt some sympathy for Scott. If for nothing else than the kid being consistently reminded that his very smell was unwelcome.

It was no secret that overall, the pack did not trust him one bit. Noah understood, and didn’t hold it against them, but he knew it had to be weird for Scott having all the drives Stiles had explained to Noah in the beginning about werewolves and not being welcome to fully indulge in what he wanted let alone what he needed.

Erica then announced. “Okay, plan change! We should order pizza.”

Noah grinned. “Sounds good to me.”

Mel rolled her eyes lovingly. “Of course, you are. But what will Stiles say?”

Noah groaned, aware he sounded so much like his son. “I know, I know. I’ll get a veggie pizza or a side salad… to go with a delicious, double meat carnivore’s pizza.”

Boyd chuffed. “No way man, I’m not telling Stiles we let you do that. Sounds to me like we should wait until they get back.”

Erica whined, “But what if they’re too hungry to wait when they get back?!”

Noah huffed a laugh. “Look, I’ll order. Call it my treat for you guys helping out around the house. I’ll even be mostly good so none of you are in trouble. I’ll let Mel pick what I get for myself. Erica, will you grab the phone number of an acceptable pizza place that delivers since we’re supposed to stay here until they’re back?”

Erica jumped in joy before scurrying off to get what she had been asked for.

Boyd smiled, watching her run off. It was clear in his eyes that he loved her so very much.

Noah remembered when he looked at Claudia like that. Although it had taken a long time, Noah could look back on that without a shot of whiskey to numb the pain. He then looked to Mel as she mothered the little fox in the sling. She was so beautiful. Melissa was his angel, these days.

Noah then got a text. He set aside what he was in the middle of folding and grabbed his phone off of the coffee table. Checking his phone, Noah saw that the text was from Stiles:

We’re done. Heading your way.

Noah nodded to himself and texted Stiles back:

K

Returning his attention to the room, Noah asked, “Where’s Cora?”

Erica returned to the room carrying a bit of paper, saying, “She’s napping on Stiles’ bed. Also, found the note of the restaurant Stiles usually orders from.”

Noah sighed—the normal place meant a vegetarian pizza AND a side salad for him in all likelihood. It was not that he hated vegetables, but it was more that he loved bacon and pepperoni far more.

Rubbing the back of his head with his callused hand, Noah accepted the slip of paper with the number on it from Erica. “Everyone want the regulars?”

Mel suggested, “Maybe get an extra side salad for Cora for in case she’s feeling under the weather?”

Boyd frowned. “Werewolves don’t get sick.”

Mel smiled sadly. “There are other kinds of not feeling well.”

Before he could call the pizza place, Noah’s phone started ringing. Quickly answering, Noah didn’t look at the number calling before answering: “This is Sheriff Stilinski—”

Before fully saying what he intended, Noah was interrupted.

A gravely, choked out voice said, “Be careful. Not all names need to be said. Not all stories need to be told. Watch what you invite. Some friends are foes.”

Then the line went dead.

Noah got up off the couch, not saying anything to anyone as he went for the notepad Stiles kept on the kitchen fridge, held with magnets. He opened the drawer in the kitchen—the junk drawer—where Noah knew he’d find a pen. He quickly wrote out on the notepad what had been said over the phone:

Be careful. Not all names to be said. Not all stories to be told. Watch what you invite. Some friends are does.

Noah furrowed his brow. He looked to Erica, the one closest to him. He then took the pad off of the fridge. “You heard the other end of the call, yes?”

Erica nodded even as she looked flustered.

Noah showed her the notepad. “Is this what was said?”

Erica moved to him, gently taking the pad and pen from him to write below what he did:

Be careful. Not all names need to be said. Not all stories need to be told. Watch what you invite. Some friends are foes.

Noah nodded at seeing what she wrote when she handed the pen and notepad back.

Mel asked, “Who was that? What did they want?”

Noah shook his head and held up a hand. He then called Deputy Parish on the house landline. Upon the call being answered, Noah said, “Hey, this is Sheriff Stilinski. I need a trap and trace done of my cell. I just received a concerning call. The person on the other end threatened myself and possibly my son.”

On the other end of the call, Parish said, “Absolutely. I’m on it. Do you want me to use normal protocols or is this something off the books?”

Noah hated that anyone knew about any off the books possibilities. It said a lot about how crazy things had been that year. “No, normal steps. Also, I will be coming in later today or tomorrow to put in a formal complaint and start further paperwork on the situation.”

Once the call was over, Noah looked to the others. “We’re ordering pizza for dinner with extra for a late night. Stiles is not going to be happy about this call when he gets home.”

---------------------------------------------------

Twenty minutes later, the Stilinski house…

Stiles walked in with Peter and Deucalion close behind him. After running a hand through his hair, Stiles looked to those in his house with a frown. He forced himself to come fully in and get out of the way of the door for the others to enter even as he assessed what he was seeing.

All of the clean laundry he’d left to be folded was gone—likely folded and put away, including the baskets that went on the washer when it wasn’t running. However, as pleasant a prospect of not having any laundry to fold himself was, Stiles could not get over that Erica, Boyd, and Adrian were at the diningroom table into what looked like research.

Additionally, Deputy Parish was shaking hands with Stiles’ Dad before moving to walk past Stiles and others to leave with his Dad’s cellphone in an evidence bag.

Letting the Deputy out first, Derek, Alice, and Lydia came into the house.

Derek furrowed his brows deeply, clearly unnerved by there having been an officer involved in anything.

Alice was close to Derek’s side as she often was.

Lydia on the other hand came in and went straight for the upstairs restroom.

Ally and Chris came in next.

Chris, having seen the Deputy looked immediately to the Sheriff.

Stiles moved further into the house to talk to his Dad. “Hey, Daddio… where’s Mel?”

The teen knew that Parish wasn’t necessarily out of hearing range yet and was in no rush to make whatever was up worse.

Noah said, “She’s upstairs, waking Cora and checking her.”

“Checking her?” Derek asked, concerned.

Noah nodded. “Yes, Cora went upstairs to take a nap right after you all left earlier. She wasn’t feeling so well.”

Stiles looked to Peter, who nodded, signaling that Parish was fully gone.

Then, Stiles asked his Dad, “What’s going on? Why was the Deputy here? And why did he take your phone?”

Noah sighed and moved to take a seat at the diningroom table. “Got a call about twenty minutes ago. It was a threat, but it was talking about names and friends being foes. I called it in as a threatening call. Parish was just over to confirm some things and get the phone, so he could get a head start on paperwork and pass things on to see if they could trace the origin of the call.”

Stiles nodded. “What did they say? The person on the phone, I mean.”

Noah nodded and grabbed a notepad off the table close to Erica and showed it to Stiles.

Stiles read it out loud: “Be careful. Not all names need to be said. Not all stories need to be told. Watch what you invite. Some friends are foes.”

Frowning, Stiles said, “I’m not sure it’s a threat or not, but the bringing up of names makes me wonder if it’s about what Gerard had carved into me. And friends are foes? Does this mean someone is going to betray us? Or has?”

Noah shrugged. “I do not know about that, but I do know we ordered dinner plus and have already started looking into what we can. Also, Scott is out on the back step.”

Peter asked, “Why is he out there?”

Noah said, “He was having some trouble controlling his shift. He didn’t feel safe in the house so he went outside to calm down. The call shook him up, I suspect.”

Stiles looked at Boyd.

Boyd held up his hands, saying, “I offered to help. Told him it was safe for him to be in here, but he wouldn’t hear it. My willingness to defend the others from him if it came to it did not help.”

Erica sighed. “He said he’d wait until you got back to talk to Peter.”

“Me?!” Peter said, not hiding his shock that he was who Scott wanted rather than Stiles.

Stiles was a bit surprised himself but also had to hold back a smile at Scott seeking someone he actively helped to kill once.

---------------------------------------

“Me?!” Peter said, not hiding his shock that he was who Scott wanted rather than Stiles.

Peter had no idea why he was who Scott wanted to talk to, waited for. The teen had once helped to kill Peter, but Scott had also in the false reality been willing to and did give his everything for that pack and this one. It’s part of why Peter had not fought the teen joining them. He couldn’t undo what he’d seen the teen was capable of if circumstances had been different.

With a sigh, Peter looked to Stiles to check.

Stiles nodded in an unspoken yes.

Peter nodded back and headed out the backdoor, careful not to knock Scott over on the way out the door onto the back step. Peter then moved about to stand before Scott in the lawn.

Scott was sitting on the step with his hands in his hair like he might try to yank it all out while his head was bent down to his knees that were pressed to his chest as best the teen seemed able to do at the moment.

Peter spoke then, “What’s going on?”

Scott lifted his head as he released his hair, revealing streams of tears still running down his face. The teen was a wreck.

Peter felt some sympathy for the kid, not that he intended to say so.

Scott asked in a wrecked voice. “How did you survive it?”

Perking a brow, Peter asked, “What?”

Scott’s lower lip trembled. “Dying? Losing your pack? Losing…?”

Peter sighed as he crouched down to eye level, asking even though he had a good idea what this was about. “What’s wrong?”

Running his shaking hands through his hair, Scott tried to explain. “I just… in the other reality, I was okay with killing. I-I died… I lost both of my parents…and today, with the phone call—well, it reminded m-me. It reminded me of my part in your death… when Derek ended up slashing your throat.’

“It reminded me of everything you’ve had taken from you… everything you’ve had to do. And I shat on all of that. I-I thought I was so righteous… I’ve been hiding from these thoughts since things were returned in a sense to normal. I keep trying to stay close to Stiles, to others… to busy my mind to avoid this all, and I just can’t…’

“and I don’t know what to do with it. With any of it. How do you deal with this? Deal with having killed people? Deal with remembering dying… remembering losing some of the most important people to you?”

Peter took a slow breath. “You keep breathing. I know that sounds like an awful answer, but it is the truest one I can give you. Remembering your own death? It’s hard, but that’s over. You have to leave it behind. It’s not that easy, but it’s what you must work toward. You can’t change the past. We all got a HUGE save in a sense with what Stiles and the others were able to do.”

Resting his elbows on his knees, Peter continued. “Regardless, that is over. We can’t go back. The best we can do is accept that yes, it did happen, but also that we cannot change that. There’s no going back.”

Scott still had tears running down his cheeks. “But… but my wolf, he’s so loud! He cries so much when I am not kept busy enough to ignore. He’s so sad and freaked out and just one extreme or another. I feel like I’m losing my mind—and he may be or has lost his!”

Peter sighed. “How about this—let your wolf to the surface, let them loose. I’ll talk with them directly.”

Hesitating, Scott whispered. “If I do that, will he let me have control again after?”

Nodding, Peter said softly, “Not necessarily right away, but you will get control back. But please, let us talk.”

Scott nodded while closing his eyes. He let loose a full body shutter before his eyes shot open, flashing blue.

Peter gently cupped Scott’s face. “You’re okay, pup. You’re going to get taken care of properly now, all right? I am no longer your only Alpha, but Stiles is an amazing Alpha. He won’t let you be shut away again—not ever.”

Flashing his own red eyes, Peter let his wolf come to the surface. The wolf in Peter nuzzled Scott and snuffled at the teen’s neck as though they were both wolves in shape rather than them both being in human shape.

-------------------------------------------------------

While the wolves were on the back step…

Deucalion asked, “would someone grab Stiles’ laptop?”

Erica cleared her throat to gain attention without stopping her scrolling on her phone with one hand while typing a digit at a time on the computer in front of her. “It’s on the coffee table. We weren’t sure where he’d want to be working from.”

Stiles grinned. “You’re spot on, Catwoman.”

Smiling in return, again without looking away from what she was doing, Erica said, “What can I say, Batman?”

Stiles moved to grab his laptop and then join the others at the table.

Deucalion felt unmoored. Peter was out back. Stiles was in here. Derek and Mel, his normal group were here. But he felt adrift. What even was this all now?

What was he now?

Deuc looked to Noah then Stiles, “I’m gonna go shower. I want their smells off me.”

Although he didn’t actually need to be so forth right about what he was up to—he was living here after all—Deucalion felt he should say something because he felt too off to be mysterious even accidentally.

Stiles looked at Deuc.

The Demon wolf did not make eye contact; instead, he went upstairs to the guest room to grab some clothes for him to put on when he got out of the shower. He didn’t want to look Stiles in the eyes for fear the youth would somehow know Deucalion didn’t need a shower after being around Noshiko and Ilto. No, he needed a shower to take a break—a break from everything.

Before the changed reality, Deucalion was starting to wonder what to do with his pack, what the next steps were. Ethan and Aiden had shown signs of possibly starting to set down roots. But there was still room, room to breath and time to make decisions.

Now? He was mated to Peter. There was no breathing room, no choices. Where Peter went, Deucalion had to follow. Not because Peter would force it, but the mate bond itself would. His wolf and Peter’s would.

And now? Now, he needed to figure out sharing Peter…. Figure out a mating bond, agreement made to maintain power and spare a few wolves that could still be of use and a human Deuc would have forced the issue of turning once things settled. But neither Peter nor him ran this pack.

And the human? The human was the leader. Not an awful one that could be easily killed, superseded in a sense. No, a decent Alpha with loyalty stronger than tempered steel. What the hell was he going to do with this?

Stiles had power over him and that just was not right, but then again—was it? He was human, but he came out of Gerard’s clutches more whole than Deucalion had, right? Or was that just a hidden object painting done in Stiles’ favor?

Time was slow like molasses while zipping by. Soon, Deucalion was naked under the hot water pelting him from the shower head. He wanted it all to beat the thoughts out of his head. This was so much more confusing than it had been before the reality shift and shift back. It had been confusing before that, but nothing like now. His heart was twisted up in this now, and there was no going back. This could not be changed—no reset to before. And which before?

Back to when he led the Alpha pack with an iron grip? Back when he could see? Back to before he was captured by Gerard again? How far back? What would he give up to go back? What memories would he surrender?

He turned the heat up to scalding, trying to peel his brain, his thoughts out one layer at a time.

------------------------------------------------

Stiles watched Deucalion flee up the stairs for a shower. Although he wondered what was going on with the Demon wolf, Stiles forced his mind onto task, opening up his computer. Once it was booted up, stiles pulled up the photographs of his stitched up cuts, the names carved into his flesh.

He then grabbed one of the notebooks on the table and a pen. He went back to writing down some more of the names. They’d only really been working on a name or two at a time and only before reality had changed had much time been invested into this. However, this call to the house his father answered had Stiles questioning what the connection or connections could mean?

What about these names would be so dangerous to warrant a call like that? Supposedly, or at least as Gerard had said, all the names belonged to people that had been killed, murdered. Who could be hurt by these names? Maybe the families of those killed? Wouldn’t it hurt more to never know the fate of their loved ones? Stiles would want to know if it was someone related to or otherwise loved by him, including his friends.

And who could betray them? Who would? Most everyone in the inner circle was trusted for the most part. Technically Scott could fuck up, but that was why they were not going out of their way to share everything with Scott. Deaton was long gone. So were several of their other enemies. Noshiko nor Ilto necessarily knew enough to truly ‘betray’ betray them, and that was no accident.

Deucalion as well as the twins had vested interests in not betraying them. The same for everyone in the pack really. Mel nor his Dad would betray them. Christopher wouldn’t—he loved Allison too much for that. Lydia’s Mom didn’t know enough to betray them, not really.

Stiles really did not like the idea of being betrayed. Perhaps one of the fey they’d worked with? But what could they gain from that, really? Stiles doubted Alice, the fox kit, or any of the Dragons would betray them.

It all spun in circles in his mind. Stiles tried to keep his mind on working the names and looking into if the call had dropped any unintentional clues.

Stiles did spare a thought though of gratitude for the pack with him having started researching even before the rest of them were back from the meeting.

Stiles shook his head at himself. He needed to get his mind on straight. Even with no real major rest to be had since they got reality back to its true shape, there was still a lot that needed to be done. Stiles felt even more pressure upon himself of his own making for them all to be safe, protected. He couldn’t let things keep getting so out of hand. They needed to find some kind of peace. Their lives shouldn’t have to be one emergency, one villain, one monster-of-the-week and then another.

They all deserved peace and love and care. Stiles viewed it as very much his job to provide these things no matter how hard the world seemed to push against and rip apart each of them, their lives, and the whole group as well as all of Beacon County.

There was a knock at the front door.

Derek announced: “Food.”

He then opened the front door and handed a stack of pizzas to Alice who had stayed beside him since they’d gotten back here. He then took another tall stack and paid the delivery guy quickly before sending them off with a good tip, like he always did.

Stiles sighed. He shut his computer, saying, “Okay, we should all eat before we get too far down the rabbit hole since I suspect this is going to be a late night.”

He cleaned up his own stuff and helped the others with theirs as Alice and Derek took the pizzas into the kitchen.

Noah and Chris followed, getting out plates and glasses, etc in practiced movements.

Ally and Lydia came into the dining room from the livingroom where they’d been cuddling on the couch.

Mel and Cora came down the stairs, the later yawning.

Stiles then asked, “Hey, has anyone checked with Aiden, Ethan, or Isaac to check on them and the dragons?”

At the same time Stiles spoke, Peter and Scott came in from outside.

Not hearing anyone answer the Alpha, it seemed, Peter said, “I’ll step back out and call them. Want me to have them head our way?”

Stiles shrugged. “Offer for them to do so if they want, but if they’re not feeling it, they are welcome to stay where they are.”

------------------------------------------------------

Ethan checked his phone, having heard it go off. But before he could read the text or do anything beyond see that it was a text from Peter, Isaac popped into the room, saying, “They’re inviting us for pizza. We wanting to go?”

Aiden flipped Isaac off.

Isaac perked a brow. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the couch this morning.”

Aiden seemed to ignore the fellow teen, returning to working on his homework.

Ethan took mercy on his twin, saying, “Doesn’t sound worth it.”

Isaac sighed. “Hmmm… maybe I can see about them bringing the party here.”

Rolling his eyes at Isaac apparently not reading the mood, Ethan barely refrained from flipping the teen off. Instead of that, Ethan returned to what he’d been doing before the text: reading out loud to some of the hatchlings—the ones that were awake rather than napping with their Dad on Derek’s guest bed. “Anyways, so the brothers are swans and can only be human the second day of the curse for fifteen minutes.’

“And they tell their sister that they know of a way to break the curse. She must not speak for seven years and make seven shirts—one for each brother—from star flowers. If she speaks at all, the curse will be permanent. Also, if she doesn’t finish the shirts, her brothers won’t be able to become human again.’

“So, the princess finds a tree with an open nook in it deep in the forest within which she can start sewing in between sleep and gathering star flowers. Her swan brothers brought her berries and sweet herbs to keep her fed while she worked tirelessly on making the shirts.”

Isaac interrupted again, saying, “Hey, Peter says Stiles’ house got a call while they were at their meeting that was kind of threatening and mentioned names. Stiles seems concerned that it may be in reference to the names carved into him.”

Aiden sighed. “Do they need us to be doing anything right now?”

Isaac tapped away on his phone for a moment or two before saying, “Not really. Peter asked if we want them to have pizza brought to us.”

Ethan sighed, “Yes, but since there is nothing we’re to do right now, can you stop interrupting?”

Isaac nodded, heading back to the guest room to presumably check on the Dragons sleeping there.

Ethan took a slow, steadying breath before returning to the story since telling stories from memory was easier than thinking about his life or what was going to happen with Deucalion being mated to Peter. “Okay, so… the princess kept working on the shirts day in and day out.’

“Through about four years, she had seen many an animal and a few passersby.’

“However, one day in the fourth year, a King, with some of his knights and soldiers, was passing by. Unlike many who had passed without even acknowledging her, if they even noticed her, the King halted his party. You see, he found the princess to be enchantingly beautiful. She’d stolen his heart with a look. He appreciated her diligence in what she was doing even if he did not know why she was doing it.’

“The king got off of his horse and approached the princess. He knelt as he reached out to lift her chin so he could see her eyes. Those eyes were a bright nearly shimmering blue—clearer than even the clearest sky.’

“He then nodded, saying, ‘You are the greatest beauty I have ever seen and oh so beautifully humble. I will take you as my bride.’ ‘

Ethan took a moment, deciding he would change around the end before he continued. “The princess remained silent, not daring to utter a word. She had her brothers to think about after all. Family is VERY important—both biological and found family.”

Reeling his mind back onto the topic from thoughts of the good and bad biological family experiences he’d had in life so far, Ethan said, “She didn’t argue for she had to keep going to finish all the shirts properly in time for the deadline. It was a heavy burden, but she refused to abandon her brothers. She loved them. The king let her gather the flowers and shirts made and in progress before he hefted up and onto his horse. He then climbed on behind her, sharing the saddle in such a way as to press himself against her less than covertly.’

“They ended up going to his castle that was quite far from her father’s land. Although she couldn’t say it, the princess hoped her brothers would see where she was being taken. She then happened to look up and saw swans flying overhead. She hoped those were her brothers. It steadied her nerves and further solidified her resolve the see this silence and the making of these shirts through to the end, so her brothers could be free.’

“Within a year of the King removing her from her nook in a tree, the Princess had become his queen and given birth to their first child. However, shortly after the baby boy was born, before the princess had fully recovered from the birth, the child disappeared. Her step mother, the woman who had married the princess’ father, began rumors that the princess turned queen had taken her own child and eaten them out of sight from sight of others.’

“The father of the child refused to believe that so beautiful and timid a Queen who could have anything she wanted though asked for nothing would EVER kill her own child let alone eat it. A year or so later, the princess turned queen was pregnant again. This time, she gave birth to twin daughters. Within the month of their birth, the daughters disappeared like the son had.’

“Again, the Queen that married her father spread rumors that the princess turned queen had hidden away her daughters to eat them in privacy and was going to start eating the children of others.’

“The father of the disappeared children could not fight it any longer, could not stand up for his princess turned queen. The people of his kingdom started to demand she be held accountable. As the fury grew, the princess turned queen worked harder and faster to finish the star flower shirts for her brothers. She knew she was running out of time, and she wanted to save her brothers before she was killed for the things she did not do.’

“The fury continued to grow until the King and his advisors agreed that she needed to burned at the stake, publicly. That way his people would know he stood strong against witchcraft like his wife’s that led her to eating children.’

“As she was lead up to upon the shoddily thrown together scaffold where upon they had erected a stake to tie her to with kindling, sticks, and logs. Just before they took the shirts she’d just barely finished sewing from her arms, the moment of it officially being seven years to the second happened and all her swan brother flew down as she threw the shirts upon each of them.’

“Each of her brothers returned to their human forms. Once that had occurred, the princess turned queen took a deep breath and began to speak, ‘I did not eat my children! They were stolen!’ Then, her queen stepmother came out of the crowd, saying, ‘She is telling the truth.’ Before moving closer to her and saying quietly, ‘We need to talk.’ ‘

“Then the princess turned queen and the queen stepmother were led away with the King father of the missing children. Once alone, the King announced to them joyously, ‘I’m so glad you were not burned!’ the stepmother then rounded on him, accusing, ‘Remember me? The wife you spread rumors of witchcraft about? The woman you no longer wanted when I wasn’t pretty or youthful enough?!’ ‘

The princess turned queen stayed quiet—well practiced in it after seven years. She watched as the King shrink down a bit before re-gaining some sort of footing, as he declared, ‘we burned you… y-you should be dead!’ ‘

“The stepmother grinned with too many teeth. ‘You did. But, you see, I am a witch. I never ate our children as you claimed. You had taken and killed them, hiding their bodies to give you an excuse to get rid of me when I wasn’t pretty enough for you, you old sack of fat and drink. I saved my stepdaughter’s children from that ever being their fate by taking them too young for you to marry or otherwise hurt!’ ‘

“The King shrunk back a bit before opening his mouth to likely call for his guards, but he never got the chance to as the stepmother slashed his throat with a dagger the princess turned queen had not previously noticed. The princess turned queen then looked to the step mother, not really sad about the death of a man who forced himself into her. ‘I want my children back.’ ‘

“The stepmother nodded, then bowed to her step daughter. ‘As you have right to. They are all in a cabin not far from here to be kept safe from him. I am sorry I never let you in on the plan. I needed to know if you were strong enough to endure and you’ve shown that you are.’ ‘

“Then, the queen step mother offered her the weapon she’d killed the king with, saying, ‘Now, you may kill me. It was in defense of your husband, you can say.’ The princess turned queen frowned but accepted the knife. Before she stabbed the stepmother, the princess turned queen said, ‘thank you for saving my children. And I hate you for taking my brothers.’ ‘

The queen stepmother nodded in understanding even as the princess turned queen stabbed her many times while calling out for the guards. She then cradled her dead husbands body as the guard burst into the room.’

“The princess turned queen recovered her children, raising them right as she rules both her dead husband’s land and her father’s. And, they all lived happily ever after.”

As he came to the end, Ethan was gratified to see the hatchlings had all fallen into what appeared to be a peaceful sleep. He envied their innocence. Maybe at one point he’d been innocent, but Ethan certainly couldn’t remember it.

Maybe that was the secret to his and Aiden’s survival. They were never innocent. It just was a transition from vilified victim to cruel victor. They just kept going from one survival task, trap to another until they got here even though wherever here was remained unclear.

Ethan gently tucked the hatchlings in a bit with a separate blanket he grabbed off the back of the couch. He was careful to not wake them while he helped to make them more comfortable.

Next, Ethan moved to get a closer look at what Aiden was doing only to see his twin working through some problem sheets that were homework from their math class. Nodding absently to himself, Ethan then moved on to go to the kitchen. He was getting hungry, and with them staying here, he figured he should look and see what he may be able to make for them all if anyone didn’t want to wait for pizza.

---------------------------------------

Stilinski house, four hours later…

Stiles sat at his computer in his bedroom with his laptop open on the desk beside his PC. The teen had multiple notebooks and books open on over his desk, a book on his lap, and further papers and books spread all around his room. He even had up on his walls printed out pictures of the damages carved into his body by Gerard’s men on Gerard’s orders.

There were other files and pictures that had been printed out including some newspaper articles and obituaries. Stiles’ walls were a road map trying to spiral down into concrete facts and details.

In an over-sized black t-shirt and baggy gray sweats, an outsider may think he was finishing up homework or something for school, but that was further from the truth than ever. Stiles was working to not sleep and find all the answers the mystery of the names could reveal while still stewing on the phone call and where he may find answers to that.

The young Alpha had managed to nail down rough areas and information on a couple names, but rather than being satisfied with that, Stiles hunkered down more so. He gained an inch and thus tried to stretch for a mile more, then another mile after that—so on and so on until he found everything he could.

As it was, he was getting nowhere on the phone message his Dad had received nor anything in particular that it could be referring to beyond the obvious, including the names carved on Stiles. There simply wasn’t enough on that front just yet, but he knew he’d get there somehow.

Stiles ran a hand through his hair as he bounced between looking at an online translation dictionary for Latin on his laptop, a book open beside his PC computer mouse, the federal census site on his PC computer, a notebook full of tiny handwriting, and his smart phone he was texting with his contacts on.

Stiles also was pausing briefly here and there to drink more coffee and or soda. The teen had a stash of drinks sitting on his desk that fueled his late-night research binge.

Erica, Boyd, and Adrian had already long since passed out on the couch downstairs. Scott too had spent the night whether it was appreciated or not.

Deuc, Aiden, and Ethan were in the guest room sleeping as far as Stiles knew.

Derek and Alice were at Derek’s loft along with the Dragon parents and their hatchlings. The latter getting just a bit bigger every day. The old man was there too while the grey-skinned, yellow-haired woman was able to leave the night after they’d all been restored to the proper reality. She’d had places to be.

Ally and Lydia were back home at Christopher’s house with Chris and Victoria as were Sam, Rod, and Grit. The later likely having taken a sleeping pill to help with his nightmares.

Stiles’ Dad was in bed, and Mel had gone home.

Cora was in the shower. It seemed she found the warm water very peaceful, especially when really missing her family.

Peter was on the bed, reading some classic or other.

Stiles had invited him to help with research, but the wolf had been clear he was all full up with trauma and bullshit for the day so he’d take a big pass on that trouble right before bed.

After a solid eye roll, Stiles got back to researching. He was finding lots of little slivers of information but was already hitting unexplainable walls and gaps. Stiles decided to just throw out a line even with the phone message. He figured he could do just a couple inquires, but keep himself vague and kind of, if not outright, anonymous until things were confirmed to be safe.

Stiles typed up an email to one of the few possible leads:

Hello,

You do not know me, but I am currently looking for a Donald Right and a Regina Blue. I’ve found their marriage contract and am hoping to find possible family or friends of theirs. I have information on their whereabouts as well as some other possible leads.

Please get back to me as swiftly as you can.

W.

He made sure to not leave his full name since he was literally trying to make contact with a stranger, but he could do it anonymously as it seemed too official and not official enough all at once.

Stiles also wanted to be careful not to share too much. For all he knew, the person he was trying to contact could have surrendered them to Gerard or in some way helped to capture them or could even be who called earlier.

Not enjoying all of the not knowing, Stiles forced himself to write to a city official in San Francisco. However, before he got more than the initial Dear so and so typed up, Peter was behind him, massaging his shoulders.

Stiles tilted his head back to look up into Peter’s eyes that were an electric blue.

Peter said softly, “Come on. You must get at least some sleep tonight. Tomorrow’s going to be a busy day.”

Stiles sighed, “You know, I could order you to let me keep working.”

With a grin, Peter countered, “Technically so could I. After all, am I not the god of orgasms?”

Stiles scoffed good-naturedly. He still looked at Peter lovingly. “You may be good at providing orgasms, but I’m not too terrible myself, I suspect.”

Peter chuckled, “Come porn star, let’s get you into bed.”

Stiles grinned. “I think of the two of us, you would get paid for such a thing with those wicked trapeze muscles. Scrawny me though? Yeah, no.”

Peter sighed and scooped Stiles up right out of his computer chair, letting the book in his lap slip to the ground, and turned before dumping the teen on the bed. “Bedtime.”

Stiles frowned—“Not cool.”

Peter closed the laptop and turned off Stiles’ computer screen before returning his attention to Stiles. Peter pulled off his own shirt.

Stiles’ breath caught in his throat. He wanted to kiss over every inch of Peter right that moment. The firm trapeze muscles his V-necks gave glimpses of was enough for Stiles to harden without trying. Stiles stood on his knees on the bed.

Peter grinned, “Figured that might get you interested in bed.”

Stiles rolled his eyes at the wolf before offering both of his hands.

Grinning, Peter accepted both his Alpha’s hands and crawled onto the bed then over his Alpha.

Caging Stiles in gently, Peter leaned down to kiss his Alpha’s lips before mumbling softly against them, “Hmm… see, a bed can come with many advantages—not just sleep.”

Stiles laughed as he thrust his hips briefly to rub against Peter’s arousal. “Ah, so this is all for my benefit?”

Peter groaned, suddenly flipping them so that Stiles was on top. Peter then ran his hands up Stiles’ hips, nuzzling into the teen’s neck. “Uhuh.”

Stiles wiggled himself around some to straddle Peter more steadily. Looking down into Peter’s eyes, Stiles felt so powerful yet vulnerable. A vulnerability he didn’t share, expose lightly. Leaning over slightly, Stiles ran his hands over Peter’s chest and broad shoulders.

Peter sat up, his hand flowing from Stiles’ hips upward to slid under Stiles’ shirt. He helped his Alpha out of his shirt before softly kissing Stiles’ collar bone.

Tipping his head back to release a soft moan, Stiles shifted his body a bit more forward, seeking some friction, pressure. He no longer thought about sleep, avoiding it, or really anything outside of Peter touching him.

Peter’s hands followed Stiles’ to rub and pluck at the Alpha’s nipples, which caused a deep groan and for Stiles to let his head fall back. Peter then tilted his head up to meet Stiles’ eagerly waiting lips. Peter let the tip of his tongue slip out and slide over Stiles’ bottom lip to ask entrance.

The moment Stiles parted his lips, Peter’s tongue slipped in. Peter dominated and massaged with his tongue, a smooth pressure and dance of heat. Peter then let go of the kiss to instead kiss along Stiles’ chest. “What do you want, my love?”

Stiles shivered as a whimper escaped him, “I want you… all of you.”

Peter grinned and nibbled down Stiles’ chest to his right nipple that he lapped and sucked at gently while his left hand continued to rub, squeeze, and pinch at Stiles’ left nipple.

Stiles gasped, “Fuck, I don’t think I can hold on… I want you in me when I…”

Peter didn’t even need Stiles to finish his thought. He rolled Stiles onto his back before sliding down the bed.

------------------------------------------

Downstairs…

Deucalion sat on the floor beside the couch with teens piled on it in sweats and a t-shirt with his crutches to the side of him.

The tv was on—Noah Stilinski was watching a baseball game, routing for the Mets.

Deuc couldn’t tell you the inning or who was winning. No, he was listening to Peter, his mate, have sex with someone else. They’d all talked, and Deuc had said he was okay with this. That them having been in a relationship before reality was messed with had an existing standing.

Peter and Deuc’s arrangement had been made to save Peter’s pack. But the thing was, Deuc wanted it. HE wanted Peter. HE wanted to be the aggressor, making Peter whimper. But what could he do? The Alpha of the pack was Stiles, not Deuc. And his deal with Peter was to not kill any in his pack. That still held.

Deuc was stuck in this pack listening to someone he cared about mount and fuck someone else!

Breathing slowly and remaining still as though he were watching tv, Duke found he wanted to storm up there and make demands. He wanted to rip Peter off Stiles and slam him into a wall to kiss him stupid and fuck him to a further insanity and … and… Stiles.

Fuck, what was Deuc going to do. He was mated. That meant he couldn’t leave unless Peter went with him. The mating bond was too needy, demanding to allow for long term separation. God did Duke just want Peter, caged beneath him, begging for him, demanding Deuc give him all he was.

Deuc wanted Peter—all of him: the warrior, the prissy, even the bossy. He just wanted all that was Peter. He hated that he didn’t get that. What could he do? He couldn’t kill Stiles and take Peter away to be only his. Deuc had to figure this out because his blood-thirsty instincts were not going to help. Killing Stiles would not make Peter his. No, Deuc had to figure something else out.

But what?

Deuc got up without a word using his crutches to help, but the motion must have lurched something as it seemed to startle Noah.

The sheriff looked at Deucalion questioningly.

Deuc simply said. “I’m going to go on a walk.”

Noah asked, “Stiles isn’t going to like you going alone.”

“I get that, but I’m… I feel trapped.”

The sheriff didn’t seem entirely sure if he wanted to let it go or not.

Deucalion then said, “Okay. I’ll just go out back to stretch my legs.”

Even though he saw no reason to be an asshole, Deucalion felt like he was suffocating under the weight of what he could hear, what he knew. He had to figure out how to deal with this because right now he just felt trapped and controlled without anyone explicitly holding him down even though he was no less trapped.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight, Beacon Hills High, Chemistry classroom…

In dark, sensible cloths and so soled shoes, Alpha Satomi Ilto frowned. She had agreed to meet her contact here, of all places, to keep the meeting brief as well as be a slightly more neutral location that didn’t have as much history as the preserve.

The preserve had a few too many ghosts from the violent past of the area for her to feel anything akin to comfort. Although the High school was in Hale territory, over the years, the school had been treated as somewhat neutral since the kids of more than one pack were in attendance here.

The lean man too tan to be natural stood across the room from her, entering only to lean against the wall near the door. Even with the distance, the Wolf’s Bane on the weapons he carried—a gun holster and knife holster visible and attached to his belt. His clothes were dark and his face flat like he’d been hit with a frying pan in the face the moment he emerged from his mothers’ womb.

She asked outright. “What have you found?”

“My price?” he responded with rather than answer the question she asked him.

Ilto frowned. She pulled from her right front pant pocket a roll of bills held together with a rubber band. She tossed it to him.

The flat-faced man caught the rolled-up money with one hand. “The Calaveras are in town looking for someone they are calling La Loba. They think she is working her way here from Mexico. There are rumors they started hunting her in South America, but that is still not confirmed.”

Ilto nodded. “How many of them are here?”

The hunter shook his head. “Not sure. They’re keeping everything really tight and quiet. I’m guessing they are trying to catch her to torture not just kill.”

Tilting her head so faintly it could’ve been mistaken as a faint shift in the lack of lighting, Alpha Ilto said, “Who else knows about them being here?”

The man fidgeted. “No confirmations, but…”

The Alpha waited the man out, staring at him in a strangely heavy way that caused the sensation she could see into his very soul.

The man looked away first, saying, “There’re rumor that there are more Argents in the area.”

“More?”

“Yes,” the hunter said. “More than Christopher and his daughter. There is one, maybe two other Argents in the area. The one who is definitely here is amassing other hunters. The other? He’s a ghost if he’s here. No one has claimed to see the possible second Argent, but if there is one, they are not working with those who claim this territory or the other confirmed Argent.”

Alpha Ilto nodded. “Does it appear Christopher or his daughter know about either of the Argents potentially in town?”

The flat-faced hunter shook his head. “No sign at all of them knowing about any of it, including Calaveras.”

Ilto nodded, “Okay. Is there anything else?”

The hunter nodded, “Yes, I’m leaving town. There are rumors of a True Alpha here, and I don’t want to deal with that. There are other, better places to hunt.”

Alpha Ilto nodded to his words, keeping to herself her own knowledge and even suspicions. As always, he slipped out and she waited. She did nothing until he was far past her hearing range, which had only lengthened as she had aged.

Now, she had some calls to make. Was this True Alpha from the pack with the Nogitsune? And regardless of that, did she intend to help them, inform them of what she knew or would she take a road of no interference and let things play out without her pack being involved?

-------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile…

Deep in the preserve, Theo ran in his full wolf shift like his life depended on it. He would not be beaten again! He would make it: Malia wouldn’t snatch victory this time!

Then, out of nowhere, a coyote slammed into his side headfirst, sending the wolf sprawling over the grasses and soil of the ground where they’d been running.

When Theo sought to get up, possibly shift, the coyote that was Malia shoved him to the side further before pointing with the tilt of her head toward the shadow movements of someone else being in the preserve with them.

-------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, 5am, the Stilinski’s house…

Stiles was tired, but had on his basketball shorts, t-shirt and sneakers. He checked his watch before whining, “Come on Peter, we don’t have all day.”

Peter came down the stairs with a grunt, “What happened to ‘you can’t do this’ and that ‘you’ll never walk again’ from last night?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “First, I said neither of those things, and second, me keeping up habits like this are part of what has kept me alive.”

Peter grinned. “And to think, I thought it was just animal desire for me that kept you going.”

Rolling his eyes again, Stiles opened the front door. “Come on, Erica and Boyd ran out ahead of us. If they manage to get coffee for us all and still get to your apartment before us, they’re going to get to pick what we have for dinner tonight. Are you really wanting to have pizza again?”

Peter groaned and got moving. He brushed past Stiles, saying, “What do I get if we beat them there?”

Stiles grinned. “Who knows? Maybe a blow job later?”

Just as Stiles was saying that, Deucalion came downstairs. He was in dark slacks and a blue dress shirt. He looked to be on the slightly more casual side of business attire.

Stiles waved. “Good morning, Duke.”

The Demon Wolf nodded to them in greeting but otherwise just went to the kitchen.

Although he was hesitant to go now, seeing one of his pack seemingly not okay, Stiles also knew they were on a time limit. Then again, would the world end if they ate pizza again?

Stiles shook himself out, saying, “Deuc, we should talk about what’s going on with you after school today. I know something’s up, and I want us to be able to talk about it, okay?”

Deucalion nodded.

Peter popped over to the kitchen, kissing Deuc on the cheek and whispering something to him before heading out.

Stiles followed even though his mind was partially on Deuc. The Demon wolf had seemed odd the night before, and Stiles suspected he knew why. It had to be hard—to share someone you cared about. Stiles struggled himself on the topic.

Stiles had not been thinking last night about it, but Deucalion undoubtedly heard Stiles and Peter together last night and couldn’t do anything about it. What could he really do? His deal with Peter, although in a false reality, had been to mate to not kill eithers’ pack. Now, that meant that Deuc likely had to stay in Stiles’ pack since Peter was unlikely to bail on the pack he died to protect in the false reality.

That meant Duke couldn’t kill Stiles to keep Peter all to himself while at the same time, he couldn’t leave or really do any of the normal wolf behaviors in any situation even remotely like this, not that such a situation was probably a common one.

Stiles knew he needed to talk to Deuc, without Peter. They needed to come to some form of peace if this was going to work. Yes, they’d been discussing stuff and working on integrating everyone, but things like last night? They needed a way to navigate these things. Because this was a great way to get everyone hurt and tear apart so much that just didn’t deserve to be destroyed, let alone over this.

Once outside the house and on the road in front of his house, Stiles began to run, setting a pace for himself just below running for his life. They were in town so speeding up to his truest running-for-his-life speed was by far not appropriate. Plus, even with getting faster running with wolves, Stiles had his limits and today was likely to be a long one.

Additionally, the twins, Kali, Ennis, Scott, and Cora were all still asleep at the house. Derek would come by soon to pick up Deucalion before grabbing Mel. The later’s work schedule in flux as they had some more new staff that Melissa needed to oversee and assist.

Stiles couldn’t fully get off his mind things between himself, Peter, and Deucalion. However, overall, they were in so many ways up shit creek. They had to figure this out. Hopefully with the run, his mind would clear. That would help not only with the thruple situation he found himself in, but also help with his research later. They had things to confirm and research still.

Not long enough since reality was returned to rights was not enough to deal with and confirm all they had learned let alone the stuff happening with the names carved into Stiles’ flesh.

Stiles also hoped that at work today, Peter, Chris, and his Dad would be able to find out more information on the first set of names they’d decided to look into from the carvings. There was just oh so much to do.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings** Contemplation/reference to torture, accidental auditory cuckolding, sexual foreplay and body appreciation**

Thank you for reading <3

Bookmarks, kudos, and comments let me know your take on things as well as feed my feral plot jackals

While around and waiting for the next update, perhaps try out these stories:

"Bear With Me" by EerieBarbarian Harry Potter fic wherein Goyle thinks his magical intentions are going unnoticed, but he is wrong. https://archiveofourown.org/works/34375801

"Be Wary of Pen-Guy" by ScarsLikeVelvet Teen Wolf fic where Allison is new to school and accepts a pen, unintentionally setting a series of interactions into motion. https://archiveofourown.org/works/50022253

"You really can get anything on Amazon" by Bunnywest where Stiles finds something unique online and gifts it to his boss on Stiles' last day. https://archiveofourown.org/works/50033677

"Darkness Rising" by pixieblade in which Stiles is rejected by the pack only to find a new one that actually wants him. https://archiveofourown.org/works/49749340

Chapter 6: Week 1/2 Later

Summary:

School. Wolves. Deuc. Pack. Police. Alphas. She-wolf.

Notes:

Sorry it's taken me so long to post this next chapter! I got kind of lost in my own head, trying to do too much all at once/

Thank you so much for continuing!

A week and a half later, Lacrosse field bleachers…

In jeans, a t-shirt, flannel, and sneakers while sitting a few levels up in the bleachers, Stiles sat with a notebook open in his lap. He was taking notes on the book he was looking through on his phone.

Boyd was sitting two bleachers up in jeans, a dark hoodie, and sneakers. He had a textbook in his lap, but he was subtly paying far more attention to their surroundings than the book in his lap.

Lydia sat less than a foot from Stiles, a level below and to his left. She wore a colorful paisley skirt, white blouse, and light green heels. She had an open notebook on an ancient-looking tomb and her phone out. She used them all in combination to translate the Latin writing in the book.

Ally was sitting beside Lydia, looking through her notes on more of the Argent journals she’d been looking through. Even though she was not technically a member of the pack, she was an ally, so keeping her close made good sense both ways. Plus, who was really brave enough to go against Lydia Martin even on a good day?!

Aiden was sitting on the bottom level of the Bleachers. He looked angry enough to outright start howling. He was working on some algebra worksheets for his math class.

Stiles wanted to be supportive, but he knew that Aiden needed to calm down before Stiles got involved when they were in public.

Adrian was laying on the same bleacher level as Boyd, humming softly to himself as he read the book of fables he’d been assigned in his English class. Adrian kept trying to bring it up in conversation, but he kept mixing up the stories. Ally helped him after school three days a week to help him with that class moving forward.

Cora was sitting cross-legged on the grass beside the bleachers. She was stretching herself out. She’d been working on getting into better shape since she and Peter had started hunting together in the preserve to keep watch with Malia and Theo since others have been sighted in the preserve.

Then, they could all hear squealing and giggles running toward them.

Stiles looked up to see Erica running their way. Scott and Ethan were walking their way behind her.

Since it was only them out right now, Erica jumped into Stiles’ arms just as he barely got his lap cleared. She hugged him close, whispering in his ear, “Noticed some students… they’re wolves, and they’re sniffing around.”

Stiles hugged her back, whispering, “Thank you. Let Boyd know.”

Erica bounced around and up to sit by Boyd. She hugged him close, presumably sharing the information with him.

Once Erica had moved, Scott settled down next to Stiles. Although he did take out a school book—he was flunking a few classes—Scot mostly just cuddled up to the Alpha, seeking comfort in the familiar it seemed. Scott even hooked an arm around Stiles’ waist while he used his other hand to hold his book of fables to read (Adrian and him shared the English class).

Ethan moved to sit next to his brother and to just enjoy being together it seemed. Yawning, Ethan said to no one in particular, “Hmm… maybe we should all just stay over at Derek’s to bond.”

Stiles shifted his focus to his phone, opening up his texting on the phone. He wrote up and sent out a group text to Peter, Chris, and his Dad:

Any luck on the names I gave you?

Stiles went back to the book he’d been working on then as he doubted he’d get a response right away. Records and such, particularly private ones were a tall order. Add on all the adjustments that had to be made by all who remembered the false reality and the town was still getting its things back together.

However, what Stiles did not expect was the growling he heard from Boyd that seemed from the deepest depths of the teen wolf.

Stiles looked to Boyd who just nodded toward the field.

Turning to look, Stiles saw two teenagers walking their way. Even though they were not shifted or flashing their eyes, Stiles felt secure they were wolves based on the growling from Boyd. Could these be the students Erica was talking about?

The two boys—Ralph and Jean if he remembered right—were both in Stiles’ history class with Mr. Yukimura. Stiles didn’t remember them speaking in class, but with all that had been going on of late, who really could swear to things one way or another?

One of them was very tall and thick, a picture of what Coach tended to seek out for the lacrosse team, but that kid was not on the team last year at the very least. He wore jeans and a plain green t-shirt with sneakers. Between that, his brown hair, and pale skin he was mostly a non-descript white guy.

The other wolf was average height and build yet with slightly yellow skin and huge eyes. He wore black cargo pants, a white t-shirt, and sneakers. He also wore a red backpack. It was this teen who spoke first, “I hear you guys are a wolf pack—that true?”

Stiles perked a brow. He then looked to Boyd and then to Aiden.

Aiden wasn’t paying attention to Stiles until Ethan nudged him. Catching Stiles’ eye, Aiden said. “Who said that?”

Keeping his smile to himself, Stiles kept his scent neutral along with all of his pack’s scents.

The pale teen then said, “Why should we tell you?”

Ethan responded, “Says one of the two guys to approach us out of nowhere. What do you want?”

The first one that had spoken said, “We’re from another pack. We just wanted to see if it was true.”

Aiden asked, “If what was true?”

The two boys looked to one another before the first one to speak said, “That your Alpha is a True Alpha.”

Scott stiffened.

Stiles subtly ran a hand up and down Scott’s side to provide comfort. While not necessarily Scott’s biggest fan, Stiles still made sure to take care of him like he did the rest of the pack.

Aiden looked to Scott and Stiles briefly, catching Stiles faint head shake. Aiden then said. “Sorry, you’re quite misinformed then.”

The teens looked let down, but they left at that.

Stiles texted the pack one handed while still comforting Scott:

Hey, so you know, might be getting out about there that there’s a True Alpha around. Keep an ear out for who is saying it and why, but do not confirm or deny. Play dumb.

Although he was fairly sure that the teens were a part of Alpha Ilto’s pack, Stiles still wanted to be careful. Especially with the call to his house that they still had not been able to track. It was a dead end that bothered Stiles more than he was ready to verbalize.

It also did not hurt that Stiles felt like he was getting the run around via Noshiko and by extension, Alpha Ilto. It seemed his calm and reasonable response to them through things for a loop. Stiles not exactly in a rush to redo their previous meeting, btu he did not like being left unknowing on the front of the fox kit.

The school bell rang, causing Stiles to sigh. “Come on, we’d better get to class.”

-----------------------------------------------------

Just after final bell, Beacon Hills High school parking lot…

Wearing a backpack and a messenger bag loaded down with books, notebooks, his laptop, and a large thermos, Stiles also held a short stack of books and a water bottle. He looked college ready but also exhausted.

Derek called out, “Stiles!”

Stiles startled before he headed Derek’s way.

Once the teen got close, Derek nodded toward the back,

Stiles threw his backpack, messenger bag and all the rest he was carrying into the back in time to see that Deucalion was back there. That caused Stiles to perk a brow. He got in the front passenger seat and asked aloud of both, “What’s with the ride? I drove in today.”

Derek got in as well and shrugged. “Deucalion wanted a chance to talk to you and Mel wanted some time at the Sheriff’s office.”

Stiles smiled. “I’m sure she did. I’m sure Peter’ll share just how much they needed some time if they were too loud.”

Derek followed up with, “Just leave me out of it.”

Stiles laughed. He then sobered up in a sense and asked, “What’re you wanting to talk about Deuc?”

The Demon wolf shifted in his seat some, before saying, “Peter.”

Stiles nodded, understanding immediately it seemed.

----------------------------------------------------

Deucalion understood why they were sitting in the car at McDonalds. He understood why they were parked in the lot, and Derek stepped out to order some food. However, that did not change how awkward he felt sitting in the back with Stiles in the front.

Before Deucalion could try to ease the situation, Stiles said, “Why don’t you come sit in the front. It might make it easier for us to talk… that or I can move to be in the back with you?”

Deuc couldn’t deny that Stiles’ voice, when he was nervous, was kind of sweetened in a sense.

Stiles didn’t wait for Deuc to decide. He got out of the front seat, and into the back, moving his things to the very back of the vehicle before sitting facing Deucalion in the back, closing the door.

Deucalion took a slow breath, noting the lack of smell from Stiles. Deuc said, “Let me smell what you really smell like?”

Stiles scent was full of embarrassment and nerves when he released the spell hiding his scent. “Fine, but I think it gives you an unfair advantage.”

Deucalion smiled. “Would it help if I didn’t take advantage?”

Stiles huffed. “I’d never believe it.”

Duke said with a smile, “Fair. Too much time with Peter encourages bad habits, after all.”

Sighing, Stiles said, “He’s not the worst influence one could have. But I, uh, wanted to talk to you too. I feel like we’re… I feel… look, I don’t know all the right moves with our—situation—but I do genuinely want to try and figure this out in a way in which no one gets hurt.”

Deucalion sighed himself. “That’s just not how things always go.”

“True, but it won’t stop me from trying. And, you know what? I get it. Peter’s a catch. He’s brilliant, gorgeous, cunning, loving, and much more. I get that this situation is a tall order to say the least. I just…. I believe we can work this out. We must. We both care too much about Peter to risk hurting him.”

Perking a brow. Duke asked. “How are you so sure I care that much about him? He’s told you how the mating situation occurred.”

Stiles hummed a moment before saying, “I’ve seen how you look at him. I see the way you grit your teeth when you worry for him. I know you care about him because you look it. Because Peter can get under anyone’s skin, but only us seem to get the quiet, open points he allows oh so rarely.”

Deuc hummed agreement while in thought, and then asked, “What do you propose we do, then?”

-------------------------------------------------------

Derek’s loft, two hours later…

Stiles was looking through the photocopies his Dad and Peter had managed to make at work while Chris kept the deputies busy with drills.

For a man who was never in the military, Chris was a ridged man of high standards, especially about weapons training and strict methods. Consequently, like it or not, the entire Sheriff’s department was being re-tested, assessed, and Chris was pushing for certification training for those who would cooperate with it. He even argued for the Sheriff’s office to be financed for a canine unit.

However, with the canine unit argument for it, Chris was walking a thin line to not make Beacon Hills stand out any more than other towns while potentially gaining extra resources for the Sheriff and his Deputies.

Frowning more and more as he read through the photocopies, Stiles made a mental note to treat all three officers for their efforts and possibly dredge up those in charge of some of the shitty investigations that were carried out on some of these missing person’s reports.

Derek cleared his throat from where he was standing about two feet from him.

Stiles startled out of his own thoughts. He looked to Derek and sighed, “Honestly, I really want to get you a bell collar or something.”

Rolling his eyes seemingly fondly, Derek said, “There’s a hot pot of coffee if you’re interested.”

Then, Derek moved back to the kitchen where Stiles suspected he and Alice were talking to each other through a notebook.

Stiles thought he sensed some sparks flying between them. Metaphorically of course cause anything flammable and a Hale just did not go together.

Returning to what he was looking through, Stiles also grabbed his messenger bag. He pulled a pen from it and started circling and marking what he thought were important parts of the reports. He also hoped to check it over once he’d done all his markings to see if a pattern would arise.

Stiles was so focused on what he was doing that when another person cleared their throat, Stiles assumed, and threw his hands up dramatically with a sigh. “Fuck, Derek, I get it, there’s coffee!”

Then, looking up Stiles saw his Dad looking at him with Peter just behind him with a shit-eating grin.

Stiles also saw Derek off to the side, sitting in a chair, reading a book while perking a judgmental brow who stated: “Stiles, that was an hour ago that I offered you coffee. I thought you had ADHD?”

Stiles frowned. First he looked back to his Dad, “Sorry, just looking for patterns and over laps in the files that you guys provided.”

Then, he looked to Derek. “Quit shaming me. It, ADHD, doesn’t always look the same in everyone, and I am not a stereotype.”

Peter chuckled, moving to sit beside Stiles. “Find anything?”

The Sheriff sighed at his son at the same time while shaking his head. “I’m getting bacon with my dinner tonight.”

Stiles’ mouth opened to answer Peter’s question when he heard his Dad’s word. It left Stiles mouth hanging open for a moment before he rallied, saying, “Oh man, no Dad… your heart!”

He was too late as the Sheriff had left to go to the bathroom.

Stiles looked to Peter, poking him in the side—“You’re a bad influence on him!”

Peter grinned before leaning forward to kiss Stiles’ cheek, saying, “You know that man’s feelings on bacon developed well before he even heard the name Hale.”

The wolf then nudged Stiles, “Find anything?”

Stiles sighed. “Not necessarily? There are some wonky repeated words. It just doesn’t seem right that at least four of the six names I gave you, while listed as missing, are not only considered run aways but also that the investigations into their disappearances look sketchy and overall mostly just treated like no answer would ever be found, like—”

Peter interrupted, “like they already knew no body or evidence would be found.”

Nodding as he looked to Peter, Stiles asked, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Peter sighed. He seemed somewhat resigned in a way that Stiles really did not like. “If they didn’t help these people ‘disappear,’ they certainly at least knew an idea of what happened with or without the additional knowledge of the role of the supernatural in the situation.”

Stiles rubbed his face with both hands, tired. When would they ever get away from all the violence, the hunting. As it was, they didn’t even have any real leads on the weird call his Dad got on his cell still. Not having any clues as to if let alone even any remotely possible when, Stiles said instead, “Talked some with Deucalion earlier.”

Peter seemed resigned on hearing that. “And … how did that go?”

Shrugging, Stiles said, “As good as it could. I think all three of us need to discuss it all together later, at my house, but we really do all need to talk.”

Peter nodded. He appeared extra tired in a way that was not his standard, everyday levels of over bs and or other people like normal.

Stiles asked, “Anything big happen at work?”

Looking sharply to Stiles, Peter nuzzled into his neck to whisper in Stiles’ ear, “Not here. Later.”

After kissing Stiles’ neck and leaning back from him, Peter said, “Chris nearly got put in his place some. He got on Tara’s tail about wanting to know where she carried her weapons, etc. She nearly decked him.”

Stiles sighed: he was pretty sure he was not going to happy about what was going on. “Is the fight still ongoing?”

Peter shook his head with a smile he didn’t seem to mean. “No. Chris flinched metaphorically at Tara getting up in his face to make him back off. Suspect it reminded him to much of Victoria, so he backed off. Does make me wonder some about how things are going on the home front with them.”

Stiles frowned, “Why did he care where she was keeping her weapons in the first place?”

Peter shrugged. “She did not appear armed, and he took issue, saying they all needed to be packing while on the job. She argued she was, and he basically put things into a very ‘prove it’ level of dialogue. She did not take the wording he used well, and we all learned that at least one of the weapons she carries in a massive knife just short of being a sword that is sheathed on her back under her duty shirt.”

“Wow,” Stiles said, caught by surprise.

Peter chuckled. “Yeah, that’s in the neighborhood of the look on Chris’ face… but add on a subtle element of suspicion and an earned heap of respect. However, he might drill her harder in her in handguns since she didn’t reach for something like that first, but only time will tell on that.”

Then, much of the rest of the pack burst in, including the fox that Chris was wearing and a hatchling on his shoulder currently wearing a disguise to look like a fat bird—maybe an over-weight pigeon?

Stiles perked a brow, asking, “Why only the one hatchling? Is the … are the others okay?”

Boyd and Adrian came in, moving past Chris to head for the kitchen.

Christopher asswaged any worry, saying, “This one didn’t want to be separated from the fox kit, so the dragons let me bring the little fellow.”

That statement made Stiles wonder how the little hatchling would do with their parent dragons making noises about moving out into the world and away from Beacon Hills. Stiles totally understood not wanting to stay in the area, but at the same time, he also knew he could not comprehend the reality of what all the family has had to endure.

As it was, the horned woman with yellow hair and goat lower body had already moved on to return to areas closer to her normal habitat. Plus, they still had no idea what was going to occur with Grit, Sam, and Rod in the long run let alone Victoria.

Ally and Lydia came in next. They seemed a bit on the tired end, but nothing out of the ordinary as they too went to the kitchen where they could be heard rustling through the fridge and cabinets, presumably for a snack.

Once Chris and those on him were fully into the loft and the door behind them finally shut, where Stiles’ protection and concealment spells were active with the door shut, everyone could see the Dragon baby laying on Chris’s shoulder, looking down at the sleeping kit.

Peter got up to take the sling from Chris before allowing the Dragon hatchling to transfer to his shoulder.

Christopher looked like well-burnt refried dog shits.

Stiles doubted that was borne of just his confrontation with Tara. However, with what Peter had said about his day at work, Stiles suspected they both knew the same thing and that he’d be hearing about it later.

Erica slid into his lap as she moved everything he had to the coffee table with the rest. She laid her head on his shoulder, saying, “They approached me again after school got out. I had Scott and Ethan with me, but Ethan had to deal with it so I could keep Scott in check.”

At the same time, Scott took up where Peter had been sitting to lean on Stiles too. Scott leaned against Stiles, laying his head on the shoulder beside him since Erica’s head was on the other anyways, it seemed.

Stiles hummed softly to sooth his betas even though he was not so happy with the guys who approached them. Seeing Ethan and Aiden come in, Stiles asked, “What’d they want?”

Although the context may have been missed, Ethan responded otherwise. “They thought we might have been the way we were because there was a hunter there or because there were a few humans.”

Nodding, Stiles asked, “What’d you say?”

Ethan smiled. “That I didn’t even know there was a True Alpha. I thought it was a myth.”

Stiles followed up with, “How’d they take it?”

Smile faltering, Ethan said, “They were visibly upset. I don’t know what they’re seeking, but they seemed to have had their hopes up.”

Nodding, Stiles moved one of his hands to brush through Scott’s hair and the other to rub Erica’s back. “Hmm… I’m hesitant on this, but I want to know more about them. My primary interest is where they heard about a True Alpha from and why they wanted to meet this person.”

Aiden rolled his eyes. “Come on everyone, you couldn’t smell it? Seriously?!”

Peter’s attention was drawn by Aiden’s outburst it seemed since he moved closer to where Stiles was sitting.

Ethan nodded to his brother before sliding his hands into his pockets.

Aiden said it since his brother didn’t appear to intend to. “They were omegas… they had no Alpha, no pack.”

Stiles perked up at that a bit. “Does that mean they were hoping to find a pack to join?”

Aiden shrugged. “Could be. Could also be looking for an Alpha to steal their spark. It’s the wild west around here these days if you hadn’t noticed.”

Frowning, Stiles murmured to Scott and Erica, “Let me up, please.”

Once able to get up, Stiles stood.

He was upright just in time for his Dad to join them and the rest of the pack to return to the livingroom with snacks in tow.

-----------------------------------------------

That evening, Peter’s apartment, livingroom…

Stiles sat cross-legged on the floor, looking through the records from the Sheriff’s office and comparing it with what Stiles had managed to find online so far. It was a fat pile of dead ends so far. What the hell happened to these people?

Although he wanted to set things up to do background checks of the other names, Stiles worried it would be mostly fruitless like these names had gone. Stiles sighed, and then he decided that moment that he couldn’t know until he told them the next names to look into. Then again, would it draw unwanted attention?

That call to his Dad was hunched in the back of Stiles’ mind demanding caution. Add on no response yet to the email he’d sent, and Stiles worried that part of why no one seemed ot be looking was because there were others out there killing those who tried to look, but he just was not sure.

He wondered if the Hale names would go similarly. Stiles was hesitating some on the Hale names because he didn’t want anyone in the pack to get hurt by what they would or wouldn’t find out. The hope for someone else surviving was tangy in the air, at least with Peter. The others? They’d been pretty tight-lipped about the situation.

Peter came into the livingroom with two trays of dishes: fruit salad, pancakes, sausage, bacon, and fried potatoes. He moved and set one the tray down on the coffee table in front of stiles while setting the other one beside it on the coffee table. He then sat beside Stiles.

Behind Peter, Chris also came into the livingroom carrying just one tray. He set it on the side table to the chair in the room before sitting in said chair.

Stiles looked up and around at the two men. “So, what brings you two into being who is paired with me right now? And what did you do with my Dad?”

Peter rolled his eyes affectionately.

Chris said, “Allison and Lydia are with him and some of the others at your house. We needed to talk to you before anyone else finds out.”

Straightening up, Stiles said, “Why no Deucalion?”

Peter said, “Because if I needed him and Derek with Mel since she’s working the night shift. I couldn’t pull him from that, especially with what has come up.”

Frowning, Stiles asked, “What’s come up?”

Chris sighed—“Just say it Hale.”

Peter growled. “Look, a few bodies showed up today…. They were… they were bifracated. Can you think of anyone we might know that likes to do that to thei—”

“Gerard,” Stiles interrupted with. “But how, you killed him.”

Sighing himself, Peter said, “Best guess I have is that in asking for people to be saved that the fey included him as part of those saved like they did Jackson.”

Stiles moved both of his hands into his lap, clenching and releasing, clenching and releasing to ease and tamp down the panic. “Okay, so, what did Dad say he wanted to do about this?”

Chris and Peter looked to one another.

Then Chris broke the bad news. “Your Dad wants to treat it as unrelated to the supernatural until it is proved otherwise, so we’re allowed to investigate and all, but he expects the pack to stay out of it.”

-----------------------------------------------------

At the same time, Beacon Hills ER lobby…

Deucalion sat in the perfect spot in the lobby. In slacks, a gray button-down dress shirt, and dress shoes, Deuc sat in the perfect spot in the lobby as from his position, he could see all the entrances and exits of the area as well as hear everything from Mel as she worked. He was keeping an eye on her to protect her while also being out of the way through his ears.

At the same time, Derek Hale was at the counter by the nurses. He volunteered, which gave him more mobility in different areas than Deuc. Unsurprisingly, Derek came off much better to the staff. He was pegged as deep and tragic to many of them.

Deuc could not really pull that off long term. His English accent and sinister grin just did not contribute to a positive impression most of the time.

Aiden and Ethan entered the ER lobby just then. Seemingly seeing Deuc, they moved to go sit near him.

Aiden asked, “Why’d you want us to meet you here?”
Deucalion flashed a grin then settled his face into a state of neutrality. “I figured that with the groups situation we’re dealing with, this may be our best shot of talking.”

Aiden nodded even though his expression looked unsure and angry about being unsure.

It was then that Ennis showed with Kali trailing behind him. They came and sat closer to Deucalion than the twins. Their weaker state likely drove them toward an uneasy need for safety but also a weakened confidence in just about everything.

Deucalion understood. Weakness took an adjustment. He knew they’d figure it out. “Well, now that we’re all here, I’d like to discuss our intentions moving forward.”

Kali looked like she thought it was a trap. “Our intentions?”

Taking mercy on her, Deucalion explained. “In this true reality, Aiden and Ethan had made a deal for their safety and mine. You were both dead. Clearly that is not the case any longer. The original intent was not intended to be long term.”

Ennis then said, “So, when you say our—do you mean us as in all together the Alpha pack or do you mean us as individuals?”

Even though he wasn’t a huge fan of the answer, Duke said, “As individuals. The reality is, with my being mated to Peter, I’m likely to be here for the long haul; however, I am aware that the Alpha pack could go on without me. I also know that some mix of you may want to stay here, have Stiles as your Alpha. But, I also understand you may want none of these options and would prefer to bail, going it alone.”

Ethan and Aiden shared a look, but neither said anything.

Kali looked around at them all, then said, “Well, I don’t feel like I have a choice. I lost my Alpha spark to live but who would accept me in their pack now? Who would trust me? Even if I got an Alpha spark, who would follow me?”

Ennis sighed, “I would, but I’m not sure how helpful I would be with no wolf.”

Deucalion nodded. “Aiden? Ethan? You are both still have wolves and have your Alpha sparks.”

Ethan sighed, “I don’t think we know—”

Aiden finished, “just what we’re going to do yet.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Across town, Argent house…

Victoria Argent sat cross-legged on the livingroom floor in slacks and a t-shirt—both black. She had he hands resting on her knees and her eyes closed. She then continued, “And now, imagine yourself running in the preserve, together with your brothers. Not touching, not even all human in shape, but running united no less than you otherwise would.”

Grit and Sam both wore gray sweats and white t-shirt, sitting as Victoria was with their eyes closed and backs against one another.

At the same time, Rod sat like Victoria too in black sweats and a white t-shirt with his knees touching Grit’s knees.

All together, the four of them were working on there three times a day meditative work toward deeper focus and stronger bonds. Especially with neither Victoria nor the boys being fully in a pack of wolves or a group of hunters, bonds were crucial not only to survival but also well-being.

Although still a wolf at the forefront, Victoria was also using this meditative time to work with her inner human hunter. The woman was not kind or friendly, more like cold, brutal, and scared. The shewolf often suspected that this was part of why they were kept away from many of the others, especially the younglings. This human could not be trusted. She was too cruel, too cold.

The wolf in woman’s skin smiled internally, aware the day would come when the woman was let to the surface again, and the wolf sought to prevent their time like this to go to waste. The shewolf sought to teach the huntress the value in being a wolf as well as soothe her hardness into some not necessarily maternal, but more empathic, more sympathetic. It was a tall order, but the wolf viewed this as her duty.

The wolf first had to un-tame the woman. Victoria was fierce! That energy should not be as snuffed and confined as it was. The memories of training, of physical abuse for not being good enough, monstrous enough, cold enough could not be undone, but they could be unbound and released, unlearned through kindness and coaxing them both toward a truer sense of freedom.

While the wolf had the boys running together in their minds to strengthen their connections to one another and even her perhaps, the she-wolf ran through the preserve WITH Victoria. Not chasing her or being chased by her, but they ran together, side by side. It was a wildness the wolf sought to show and share. They could be true to themselves and run wild and free, but it was together or not at all. They could no longer be separated, and they shouldn’t be.

Notes:

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

"Brutal, Bloody Revenge" by Arvak wherein Stiles goes back in time to make things right. https://archiveofourown.org/works/50867425/chapters/128505898

"Drenched in Gasoline" by FragileFervour in which bad things bring to the surface just how Stiles feels. https://archiveofourown.org/works/42959637

"The Adventures of Derek Hale: Reclusive Cat Owner" by KuriKuri with Derek having to social as well as care. https://archiveofourown.org/works/6034120

"Longing Howls That Go Unanswered" by OhanaHoku showing moments between Derek and Peter who did not get these moments explored enough. https://archiveofourown.org/works/50505511/chapters/127593106

Chapter 7: Enemies & Confirmations

Summary:

Talk. Alpha Ilto. Sheriff. Issac. Sheriff. Loft. New comers. Hunters.

Notes:

At the request of viet123456, I've spent the last several hours working on getting this to a good point and am posting it. While this is fast, I will acknowledge that I do not have a ton more pre-written, so it's going to take a hot minute for the chapter after this.

I hope everyone enjoys <3

**Trigger Warnings in End Note

That evening, Peter’s apartment, livingroom…

“Gerard,” Stiles interrupted with. “But how, you killed him.”
Sighing himself, Peter said, “Best guess I have is that in asking for people to be saved that the fey included him as part of those saved like they did Jackson.”
Stiles moved both of his hands into his lap, clenching and releasing, clenching and releasing to ease and tamp down the panic. “Okay, so, what did Dad say he wanted to do about this?”
Chris and Peter looked to one another.
Then Chris broke the bad news. “Your Dad wants to treat it as unrelated to the supernatural until it is proved otherwise, so we’re allowed to investigate and all, but he expects the pack to stay out of it.”

Accessing what he saw and heard, Stiles looked between the two men. The Alpha took a slow breath in and out to appear to be calming himself before he announced, “Fuck that. I am not standing by with that man possibly out there. We can stay out of the way of what Dad is doing, but we are still going to do things.”

Taking another pause to think through his next move, Stiles added, “Including, calling a pack meeting to break the news. I know everyone was worried with the first body Dad was called in for after reality was restored, but more than one? That’s no longer in the territory of consequence as far as I am concerned.”

Peter smiled, all feral edges. “Told you so, Chris.”

Chris sighed like he was surrounded by insolent children but tried again. “With the internal affairs investigation going on, can we really afford to get involved when we have no solid evidence yet?”

Stiles sighed back for the dramatics in a sense, saying, “That’s why our initial steps are working out if he is confirmed alive. I feel pretty damn sure, but I get that my feelings do not evidence make.”

-----------------------------------------------------

A couple hours later, the Stilinski house…

As he and Peter walked into the house, Stiles could not help but perk a brow at Boyd and Erica laid out on the livingroom floor.

The two wolves were rubbing their bellies.

At the same time, Isaac was in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. He wore his ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron and had cooling trays on the dining room table. Over half of them were full with a mix of cookies, little honey cakes, and some tarts.

Sheriff Stilinski was sitting on the couch in jeans and a t-shirt, holding the tv remote while he watched baseball on the television. He looked up to see Stiles and said, “Hey, someone left a note on the front door for you. I put it on the fridge for you.”

Stiles moved past the clearly stuffed Erica and Boyd on the livingroom floor and headed into the kitchen, asking, “How’s it going, Isaac?”

Isaac smiled. “Pretty good. I even have Allison and Lydia helping me since Levander and the others aren’t available tonight.”

Stiles asked, “Where are Allison and Lydia?”

Not missing a beat even as his egg timer went off, Isaac turned off the timer and took cookies out of the oven while saying, “Upstairs. They’re washing their hands then they’ll help me more. We had a spillage before, but it’s all good now.”

Stiles nodded and moved around Isaac’s movements to grab the note off the fridge and get back to the livingroom.

As soon as Stiles was back in the livingroom, Ally and Lydia came down the stairs holding hands.

Ally waved a hello.

Lydia said, “About time. Isaac is trying to make Erica and Boyd explode. We’ve already called in Adrian and Scott to help get things eaten.”

Smiling, Stiles unfolded the note:

We need to talk. Something quite pressing has come up. Please come to the address enclosed before school tomorrow.

Alpha Ilto

Stiles frowned. This did not bode well. He offered the note to Peter before saying, “Chris is here for both of you. He’s waiting in the car.”

Ally nodded, “Sounds like the truck’s still running. Come on, Lyds. We still have homework to deal with.”

The fiery red-head that was Lydia ‘the goddess’ Martin nodded before kissing her girlfriend’s cheek.

Both of them gave hugs as appropriate and headed out to go with Christopher.

Issac sighed, clearly not pleased at losing his help. He followed up with, “Who’s going to help me now?”

Peter looked at the note, frowning now too. He then moved toward the kitchen but stopped on the way to pick up a ginger snap cookie from the dining room table. “I’m willing to man the oven, take things in and out.”

Issac perked up, seemingly happy to be getting something out of the situation.

Stiles texted Ally, Chris, and those in the pack about the note. He also let them all know he was going to meet up with Alpha Ilto. He added on who he was taking and the rotation of partners the next morning to account for it.

After all the texting, Stiles looked up with a grin as Scott and Adrian came in the back door. “I’m willing to help, Issac, what do you need me to do?”

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, before school…

Stiles stood between Peter and Lydia with a side of Derek, Scott, and Allison in the back parking lot of the Jungle dance club.

The club had been closed for hours already, but it was still pretty damn early. Thankfully, it would seem, Tuesday nights were not too popular, so they closed early. Well, early for them.

While Stiles, Lydia, Ally, and Scott were all dressed for school, their bags in Derek’s SUV since there was not clear indication of how quickly this would or would not take place, Peter was in her Deputy uniform for work and Derek was his usual jeans and Henley affair. The group looked quite mismatched and out of place unless an investigation was taking place, but there was no crime tape up nor any official vehicle.

Alpha Ilto, despite it being during the day if early, emerged seemingly from no where with a few middle-aged betas and an older man who looked close in age to Ilto herself. Although standing tall and strong, Ilto did look like she was far more concerningly guarded than when they had last seen one another.

Stiles stepped forward without having any of his pack or Ally step forward with him. Tired from too many waking nightmare scenarios in his mind at Gerard being back, Stiles spoke first instead of pretending to being polite. It’s not like he called this little convo into being. “I thought the next time we spoke it would be civilized… with a kettle, if I remember right?”

Ilto stepped closer toward Stiles than she had when they’d spoken before.

It was enough of a move forward for Peter to step up behind Stiles and hook an arm around the younger man. He both seemed to be staking claim and providing literal back up, ready to pull Stiles out of the situation or rip out another wolf’s throat at the slightest wrong move on Ilto’s part.

Ilto faintly smiled before it disappeared as quickly asi t had come. “I have intent to harm your Alpha. I come as a courtesy.”

Peter perked a brow.

Not addressing Peter but rather Stiles, Alpha Ilto spoke calmly. “On other topics, we shall indeed have civil conversation with a kettle on—tea, specifically if it were to occur within my territory. However, I am not here for discussion—offical or otherwise. I am here to warn you about what is coming, happening.”

Pulling his Alpha tighter to him, Peter growled low but didn’t say anything.

Stiles spoke, “Why?”

Alpha Ilto did smile at that. “We are not yet enemies, and with those in town, it is no time to acquire more. I have a source that has alerted me to someone the Calaveras and other hunters are calling La Loba heading our way. But, possibly more pressing, hunters are gathering in and around the area. I’ve looked into it further to discover that the hunters are amassing not just in town, but within the county overall.”

Frowning, Stiles bit his lip in thought before asking. “What did your source and or your own work tell you about La Loba? Is it … is she a werewolf?”

Sighing, Alpha Ilto shook her head faintly. “Nothing beyond that she is coming and being hunted. The Calaveras’ have been following La Loba from South America and into at least the county. I also know the contact I had is leaving the area. They wish to do busy elsewhere, someplace less chaotic.”

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A few hours later at the Sheriff’s office…

Sheriff Noah Stilinski prided himself on being a good officer. He had worked hard to get where he was, but the whole opening of the supernatural chasm had sent him for a loop. Just the realities of what had been done to his son—over and over it seemed—was more than enough to rattle the scales of justice.

Now, he was under investigation for the repeated attacks to his home and questionable cases and even their questionable resolutions. However, Noah also knew that there was more to this investigation than just the odd aspects of this town and his job in it. One of those aspects of ‘more’ currently stood in his office: Raphael McCall.

Special Agent McCall was an agent in the FBI.

Noah sighed from where he sat at his desk before standing up to approach the man who had abandoned his wife and son many years ago. Noah offered a hand shake even though he’d rather wring the man’s throat for daring to come back after the mess he’d left.

Agent McCall shook his hand, saying, “Nice to see you again Noah.”

Wanting to put McCall in his place more than playing nice, Noah said, “Yes, it has been Agent McCall.”

After closing the door to the office, the Sheriff and McCall could each sit to absorb the moment. After both waking up in the preserve, Noah had managed to explain some of what had been going on, but not quite everything just yet.

------------------------------------------------------

While Noah was in his office with the agent sent to investigate him, Christopher Argent, known now as Deputy Argent, was working through some security footage they’d received from a local gas station on the fringes of town toward the preserve.

There had been a rash of thefts, and the video footage was sent with the hope of getting something done about it.

However, looking through the fourth tape, Chris saw an unwelcome familiar face: Kate Argent. She walked into the gas station, aware and guarded based on how she entered. However, more concerning was on her way out, her eyes flashed: gold.

She was also not the first or last surprise. Chris noticed several hunters that he recognized either through having worked with them before or just the way they carried themselves. It did not bode well for anyone in town, especially the pack.

The next question was if any of them were aware of each other. IT was looking like a right mess, especially with Peter having texted the night before about Stiles’ choice about the pack getting involved in the bifurcated bodies cases.

-----------------------------------

At the same time, Peter, or Deputy Hale, sat at his desk, looking through the new names Stiles had given him. He wanted to see what if anything he could find while at work before going home to Stiles to show him whatever copies he was able to make as well as whatever Peter could tell him.

So far, the names were not all going like the last set. Some were very similar, but there were a couple that were different. One, Lysander Hole, seemed to have left behind family and friends that were not only still looking, but had a social media presence up one side and down the other in their efforts to reach out as far as they could any which way to somehow find Lysander or at least discover what happened to him.

Peter made copies of some of the social media information that he’d found as well as printing out some additional files. While doing so, Peter also took a note on his phone about what he thought this could be: selkies.

They, when masquerading as humans, tended to take ‘last names’ that referenced where they were from. Although he’d only dealt with them a little, Peter knew well-established selkie families could be peaceful non-issues when people left them alone.

He really hoped these were peaceful selkies not just people seeking more victims to eat. Additionally, Peter hoped that him finding a lead, something, would help ease Stiles’ mind if only a bit.

------------------------------------------------

All the while, Isaac was at the Nemeton. He sat on the stump of the glorious tree that somehow in his mind’s eye was not so dead as a seemingly random stump would appear to those not in the know.

Isaac could feel it—deep inside himself like a second heartbeat—the way the tree’s presence was growing and spreading, its heart beating strong. Isaac stroked the stump he sat upon as he let his mind open, unfold to let the Nemeton deeper into himself. It was so odd, but Isaac felt safe, secure when there. He felt like he was held close in a warm hug, safe.

He’d not felt this safe since before his brother joined the military, back when his mother was alive and his Dad wasn’t just a drunk filled over the brim with bitterness.

Letting the Nemeton in wasn’t so much like sexual penetration or information exchange. It was much closer to a form of empathy. He could feel with the tree. He could feel what the tree felt, and it could feel him, like a deep well of comfortable silence wherein no words were needed.

Hearing a rustling approaching, Isaac calmly, lazily opened his eyes to see that some rabbits were heading his way. He didn’t move or stop anything he was doing. He just let his eyes remain open, aware but not aggressively so.

The rabbit hopped up onto the stump, seemingly sitting before transforming into…

------------------------------------------------

A couple hours after school, Stilinski house…

Peter swept into the house, Scott and Kali coming in behind him. While the Hale wolf smiled, it was empty. He was intentionally empty. It definitely riled up the Nogitsune inside who was rearing to go at the drop of a hat right this moment.

Kali pushed past everything, heading out back where Ennis could be heard.

Scott was unmoored it seemed, sticking to Peter for the moment. The meditation work the two of them with Kali had been doing had really unsettled the teen even though he made good progress in Peter’s opinion.

With Scott following him from behind like a lost puppy seeking its mother, Peter waved a brief hello to the others in the livingroom on his way upstairs.

Once into Stiles’ room, Peter put a finger to his lips briefly before moving to the window, checking it was closed and closing the blinds. He then drew Stiles into a tight hug, whispering in his ear: “Someone was following me today, at least since we split up after meeting with Alpha Ilto. It potentially started late yesterday, but I’m certain it is occurring today.”

Stiles shivered, holding Peter close, while he whispered, “Anyone we know?”

Peter grunts softly, “No. Also, it’s not just one follower, one group. There are more eyes than that. It’s not right. Be careful.”

Peter then leaned back to kiss Stiles with quick peck before backing up out of Stiles’ space.

Without time for Stiles to fully steady, Scott swept him up into a hug, snuffling at his shirt.

Stiles sighed, petting Scott’s back, and asked, “How did meditation go today?”

Peter grinned—not so empty this time with the smile. “Hard to say. For Kali, it seemed she became profoundly pissed off.”

Stiles nodded as he hugged Scott a little tighter to help the beta in his once brother. “How’d it go for you?”

Scott spoke softly, quietly. “There’s a lot of anger. A lot more anger than I expected. I thought—I thought we’d be through this part already.”

Stiles nodded knowingly, having suspected the process was not going to be quick. Much like between him and Scott, the wolf and Scott needed to talk things out, re-develop trust… learn each other as they were and are.

Overall, it gave Stiles hope for the friend he knew was still there. Just growing and changing but without so much misguidance.

Peter then asked, “Has your Dad talked to you yet?”

Stiles frowned. “No, he’s in the shower. He came home pretty pissed and frustrated. Said he’d explain after he calmed down.”

Peter nodded. “Okay. Well, give him a chance to explain. Scott, you may want to ask your Mom to spend the night. I already texted her as did Noah.”

Stiles frowned more. “And I was not texted because?”

With a sigh, Peter said, “You need to let your Dad explain. He knows more than I do right now. I just know an angle of part of it, and its potential effects in one area.”

Stiles’ eyes narrowed but he let Scott go then said, “Head downstairs and call your Mom about staying the night. Make sure to let Erica know too since she’s volunteered to help with dinner.”

-----------------------------------------------

About twenty minutes late, Stilinski dining room…

Stiles was holding it together, he told himself. Scott’s Mom had seemed relieved with Scott’s request based on Scott’s response from this end of the call according to Erica. Running his hands through his hair then scrubbing his face, Stiles worked to keep his heart rate even and expression neutral.

The shower upstairs had been shut off about fifteen minutes before and his Dad had already left the bathroom to go to his bedroom.

Stiles knew these things meant that his Dad would be coming downstairs at any time. Keeping himself from fidgeting, Stiles was slicing up apples. Even though they were not the main dish for dinner, Stiles felt like some cut fresh fruit with whipped cream would go well with the two HUGE hams he’d had Peter get them all the week before. Stiles had wanted something special for today.

The day was no holiday or anything, but more of a celebration that they’d all made it this far after everything. He was proud of his pack, his family. He wanted to celebrate them in his own little way.

He also needed something to focus on right this second as he was ready to vibrate out of his skin. It felt too tight, too consuming for whatever was in him right now let alone the constricting situation of whatever his Dad wanted to make sure to tell Stiles himself as well as them being followed.

What the hell was going on? Peter was looking into True Alphas and had mentioned whispers of more. What did any of that even mean?!

Furthermore, Stiles was carved like a Thanksgiving turkey with the destruction of lives that he couldn’t seem to rectify or at least let the families and or friends of those bearing these names to know what had happened to them! Hell, in the end, Stiles couldn’t even tell them anything more than that a geriatric serial killer-styles supernatural hunter (poacher? Genocide-r?) had claimed the credit and carved their name into another victim? Victim?! Fuck, Stiles could already tell sleep would be a hard battle that night if he couldn’t get a hold of himself.

His nightmares had been getting progressively worse since their reality was twisted and changed. Changing it back had not been the band-aid, the cast he’d thought it would be. He felt more and more out of sync with whatever was happening to him, around him. It was all far too much for him at this point, but he couldn’t say that. He just couldn’t. He had people to take care of!

Stiles knew he wouldn’t change it though. No matter the situation, Stiles loved his family, his pack. He didn’t have to be alone anymore. That was certainly one thing the false reality had cemented: he never wanted to be alone again.

Stiles’ Dad finally came downstairs in cleaned brown work slacks, a white t-shirt, and socks with hiking boots. He walked right up to the table Stiles sat at. Noah hugged his son before moving to sit at the table across from him. “I love you very much, but I need you to let me tell you everything before you—OR ANYONE—interrupts and asked questions. Okay?”

Stiles felt fear ripple through him. The closest thing to a start like this was when his Grandfather died: his last grandparent. He nodded slowly; not sure he could trust his voice. He also felt a weight like a ton of bricks dumped on his body as though it was being built up with Peter not answering his questions, and now it was all about to crumble.

Noah nodded, then began: “First, I have a few murder cases right now wherein the victims have been sliced in half from their genitals up through their heads. I know that this evokes for many here the idea that Gerard is back. I’m not saying he is or is not, but I would like to investigate the human way first; although, I have agreed to Christopher’s offer to reach out to his contacts to check on the Gerard angle.’

“I and Melissa are dating. I know we may or may not have been successful in hiding that, but we’ve agreed we’re ready to let everyone know that we are together; however, that information is to stay in the pack. It is not something outsiders should know yet.’

“Part of why outsiders should not know is for the reason I wanted to talk to you about this all together. I am currently under investigation. Originally, as I’d said to you, since whatever in the hell happened with reality, I believed it was internal affairs about the two attacks to our home. While yes, that was a thing—it was easily resolved with new officers—Peter and Chris—help. It officially was retribution for an investigation in illegal arms trading.’

“However, that wasn’t all of it. Apparently, the FBI are looking into things here due to so many murders and missing persons cases occurring and yet so few arrests or other resolutions. On top of being informed about this, there is also an agent in town from them looking into what in the world is happening here. I believe the FBI is looking to get me fired and install someone more effective.’

“More concerning though—yes, I get that it is quite concerning—Special Agent Raphael McCall is the FBI agent that was sent. I spoke with him today, sharing a little more about what caused us all to wake up in the preserve over a week ago. But, outside of that, not much beyond a basic introduction and his updating me on why he was here—to investigate what is happening in the area has occurred.’

“Yes, before you ask, I’ve notified Mel as well as offered for her to have police protection if he gets any unseemly ideas though he does seem sober and mostly to be just trying to process whatever is happening. It’s currently unclear if he even remembers the false reality. I also offered Mel that I could talk to you and let you handle the protection.”

Noah deflated some, having said—seemingly—all he meant to.

Stiles took a moment to process the information dump before asking. “What did she say about protection?”

Noah sighed. “She said she’d dealt with the man before and would be fine.”

Nodding, Stiles asked, “Do you want me to watch out for her?”

Noah said, “I do, but I also understand if that is asking too much or in some way weirds you out.”

Stiles relaxed a hint. He’d worried he was going to be expected to stay out of everything. He nodded, “Okay. I’ll see to it that she’s protected as she has been being protected. It is all already in place. I hadn’t intended to stop it even if you didn’t ask, but it’s good to know you’re okay with her still being protected like you.”

After a deep breath, Stiles then asked, “Is there anything you’re going to allow me to do to help with the other stuff?”

Noah shook his head. “Not yet. I want to see what exactly they already know as much as I can before making any overt moves or ripples to address the situation. I need to be very careful right now.”

Stiles then pushed to the side what he was cutting to then leaned over the table some to whisper: “Are the FBI watching you? Us?”

Noah frowned deeply. “They shouldn’t be… why are you asking?”

Stiles sighed, motioning to Peter who advanced on the table.

Peter spoke softly in a whispers Noah seemed to just barely hear: “Someone is following us. I think it is more than one group. Hunters are stalking all the wolves right now at least, but there’s more. I’m not sure if all the hunters I noticed all belong to one group or if there are competing interests with us. Additionally, there may be others following us. This area of the supernatural presence within it are receiving an unprecedented amount of focus and attention of late.”

---------------------------------------------------------

About two hours after dinner, Derek’s loft…

Erica and Boyd were playing Mortal Kombat 9. While she was already in sweats and one of Boyd’s t-shirt, Erica was hooting at her character’s air-combo as she was able to transition it into a mid-range combo while sitting within a foot or two of the tv.

Boyd on the other hand, while still in jeans and a t-shirt with sneakers, sat back on the couch while his character was properly murdered on screen. The teen was mostly watching Erica’s jovial expressions.

Scott, sitting next to Boyd on the couch, groaned as he was now going to have to face Erica as they were all playing: loser being swapped to someone else’s turn. And it was his turn to face and die at Erica’s hand in the video game.

Standing behind the couch, Cora rolled her eyes, wearing sweats and one of Derek’s shirts. Since she was the only one who played the game as much as Erica, Cora was likely just biding time for her turn to come for her to possibly knock Erica off of her winning streak.

Adrian sat on the other side of Boyd from Scott in jeans and sneakers, no shirt. His turn would’ve been after Scott, but he was leaned against Boyd having fallen asleep a bit ago.

Derek was in the kitchen working on making a huge haul of popcorn while Alice was likely talking with him through s notebook since he seemed to most practiced at talking with her as they had been living together since she was rescued from Gerard and his hunter’s clutches.

Kali was asleep in full wolf form—a seeming benefit of being in Stiles’ pack as well as of her wolf becoming more of an equal partner in their body.

Malia was curled up in her own full shift, snuggling Kali. She was really the only person besides Ennis that was allowed to be so close to the once Alpha. Though that was in part due to Malia being a coyote first in identity and behavior a significant amount of the time. It allowed her to strangely get along with just about everyone’s wolves.

In the over-cushioned love seat, Stiles sat on Peter’s lap with his legs draped over Deucalion’s legs, saying, “I really think it could be argued that maybe we’re coming at this from the wrong angle. Maybe we should try having Levander lay cards for us? He did that with Ally, Lydia, and I once. Maybe we should—”

Suddenly, the front door exploded open. Smoke canisters were rolled in before anyone could get a look at who was doing this. Then smoke canisters were thrown in through the window, smashing them open in the process.

Stiles’ immediate instinct was to roll off the two wolves. Having been through a version of this before, Stiles immediately rolled off the wolves and down to the floor on his knees while he ripped off his shirt before starting to try to tear it into stripe, only for Peter and Deuc to join him on the floor.

Peter stopped Stiles, grabbing his hand, the kitsune flowing between them to share silently with Stiles that there was there was no Wolf’s Bane in the smoke.

Stiles frowned, but he still kept low. Maybe it wasn’t hunters this time? He could hear Erica and Cora dropping to hands and knees moving toward where Stiles was as Boyd, Scott, and Adrian dropped down lower than they already were to move over to be with them too.

Next, Stiles whispered barely loud enough for the fellow wolves to hear—“Deuc and Boyd, help Kali and Malia up and work your way to the kitchen to be with Alice and Derek. Cora and Erica, move to behind the couch and take Scott with you. Adrian, stay with Peter and I.”

After that, Stiles held hands still with Peter and listened to what sounded like two or three people coming into the room.

Peter, through the Nogitsune, said, “Two wolves… but they aren’t quite right, and a human-ish creature.”

Stiles decided to take a risk. He moved Peter’s hand to around Stiles’ ankle under the sweats, then stood up—“What do you want?”

At the moment his words escaped him, Stiles took a brutal one two hit to the gut to crumple him. It had been two shots with a beanbag gun. He whined out a gasp, trying to catch the air knocked out of him as he forced himself to stand his ground.

At Stiles being hurt, everything became no holds bared chaos as both Deuc AND Peter immediately shifted to full wolf form and assaulted where the shots came from, taking down the human-ish creature and knocking them out while spreading to attack the other two brutally as they could even as they found fair, if not over-powered, matches.

At the same time, the broken open windows along with Derek coming out of the kitchen with an air blower like one would use outside on scattered leaves, the smoke was quickly being cleared from the room, exposing two massive partially shifted wolves that looked to be from one’s nightmares on a good day.

Having been forced to shift to a partial shift for the fighting, Peter was having his ass handed to him, managing to stay in the fight by the skin of his teeth through the Nogitsune’s aided speed and enhanced healing from the chaos feeding it.

Surprising everyone in the pack, Scott was in a full shift that he’d never done before as he helped Peter turn the tides in his fight. While he didn’t seem to be trying to kill anyone, Scott was definitely trying in his own, violent way to rip the human-ish person away from Peter as he also tried to defend against the other shifter too.

Deuc looked to almost be standing even footed, in a partial shifted state with having so many Alpha sparks in him and betas’ powers he’d absorbed. He wasn’t cutting up the wolf-man he was fighting but that wolf-man he was fighting wasn’t cutting him up either.

Able to see, Stiles grumbled as he forced himself upright. “What the F is this? The smoke is gone. What in the world are you even attacking us for?”

The human-ish creature was slowly starting to sit up. He seemed disoriented, rubbing the back of his head.

Stiles then said, “Deuc, Peter… Scott, please stop.”

Peter and Deuc each moved to back away but looked ready to attack at the slightest inching forward. Scott seemed a bit panicked, but stuck tight to Peter.

Stiles had an arm over his gut and didn’t stand as straight as he normally did, but nonetheless he looked to the two wolf-men expectantly.

The two wolf men cautiously moved to their third companion. They stayed shifted. The taller one said, “You attacked us. Of course we fought back.”

Peter growled and then spoke, sounding utterly feral as he yelled while his fangs were still dropped, dribbling saliva, “YOU ATTACKED!”

Stiles stepped closer to Peter, softly rubbing his back He tried to keep his voice neutral, but it was hard with the pain in his gut and a range of ferally angry to scared pack mates that he knew looked to him for the right course of action. “Was it you that shot me with beanbags?”

All three of those who entered looked confused.

Then, suddenly, before any further words could be said, somehow, six more smoke canisters were thrown in, then a couple flash bangs.

Peter and Deuc both grabbed Stiles got him down to the ground as Peter had a full body shake.

As Peter kept shaking uncontrollably, the Nogitsune fled into Stiles.

Stiles announced aloud, “Derek, I need you—bring Alice!”

Grabbing onto Deuc, Stiles mimed taking his shirt off.

Deuc, seemingly understanding, took off his shirt. He ripped it to sheds. He nodded that he understood the issues with what was in the air now. He tied a strip around Stiles and then himself. He then gave Stiles a strip for Peter.

Stiles accepted the help then motioned toward the back of the couch. Deuc gave a nod as the room was filling with more and more smoke. Stiles had to trust that Deuc would help those behind the couch mask up.

The whole time, Scott was pressed to Stiles while tight to Peter to defend the seizing packmate.

As Stiles was getting a mask on Peter, Derek came up upon them with Alice, making contact by touching Stiles.

Stiles whispered, “Damn, I can hear your eyebrows through the smoke even.”

Derek chuffed.

Stiles took Derek’s hand and placed it over his own mask. “Rip clothes, make masks for you and Alice quickly.”

After he had shared those words, Stiles heard more canisters being thrown into the room and boots stomping their way into the loft. However, before Stiles could respond, the entire building rattled as an unbelievably loud roar of a howl was let loose.

Stiles knew instantly that it had to be one of the three strangers. Stiles then said quickly as he put Derek’s hand onto a still seizing Peter, “once you two are masked, take him and get to behind the couch.”

Stiles, before he let Derek go, said, “Where did you leave the blower?”

Derek then pushed the air blower into Stiles arms, to which Stiles said, “Good job.”

Stiles didn’t wait to see the reactions. He took a steadying breath as he moved himself away toward the opposite side of the couch and then stepped further away in an effort not to attract bullets to the couch.

He then forced himself fully upright even though it hurt like hell, saying, “Erica, Boyd, help the first trio!”

Stiles then turned on the air blower as he backed himself up to the broken window closest to him. He took off one of his shoes to break the rest of the glass in the window to let out more of the smoke. He then returned to using the air blower to cut through the smoke as best he could.

Sadly, Stiles was also stepping on glass with the shoe he still wore and socked other foot, causing the scent of his blood to hit the air as he moved. He knew his blood’s scent in the air could make things worse, and it hurt like hell to walk on glass. However, he had to get the smoke out.

Finding another window and using his shoe to break more of the glass and let out more air, Stiles said, “Kali… capture some hunters! Please.”

Stiles kept moving around the fringes even as he heard another building shaking roar or three. Even as he heard what had to be more of his pack than he’d instructed, Stiles forced himself to keep focus. Could he fight? Yes, but he had to get the smoke out.

Soon, Stiles found he wasn’t salone.

Scott hugged him in his familiar way then picked Stiles up, wiggling him around then up into a piggy back rid wherein Stiles could use the air blower or break more open window just like before without hurting himself more.

Although there was definitely a flittering of nostalgia for how they used to be with one another, Stiles kept his focus on what he was doing, now with Scott’s help. Regardless of either of their abilities to fight, someone had to get the smoke the fuck out of there.

Too soon yet not soon enough, the smoke was mostly cleared out to reveal the damage.

Stiles got a chance to look around. There were several dead hunters even though he’d heard no gunshots or anything like that, but who was to say, maybe he was too focused? Shaking his head at himself, Stiles turned off the air blower while motioning toward the couch.

Scott got the fellow teen there, setting Stiles carefully upon the couch.

Stiles found he was breathing heavily, but he wasn’t sure why. Then, he said aloud, “Status?”

Derek growled, “Peter’s coming around. Alice is with him for the moment.”

Stiles looked over toward the front of the apartment to see two of the three strangers who initially joined them in the apartment trying to sort themselves out and help the third, who was one of the wolf-men. He also saw to the side, Derek and Deuc walking around and zip-tying the wrists and ankles of the hunters that’s attacked them all.

Swallowing his emotions and overall concerns of many shapes, Stiles said, “Derek, where’s the first aid stuff?”

Derek growled, but he moved to fetch the first aid supplies he had, including the extras at his place from during the false reality.

The memories of that place were not welcome. Stiles wrapped his arms around himself, one over his waist to hide the words burned into him in the false reality and the other covering what he could of his chest that bore the names of the Hale family members Gerard believed himself to have killed.

In the middle of the fight, Stiles did not for a second think about his shirt being off, his scars. But now? Now with strangers and enemies and even his own pack able to stare at the marks on his flesh, Stiles felt so small. He didn’t say a single word about it, not wanting to draw attention to the situation. He didn’t want to wave his arms for someone to save him because it would cause everyone to look at him.

Scott, though, didn’t need the attention seeking for once. He dropped to his knees before Stiles and peeled off his own shirt and offered it while looking at Stiles with huge puppy eyes.

Stiles hesitated, but he still accepted the shirt, quickly sliding it on while mouthing to the fellow teen a silent “Thank you.”

Stiles then said out loud to the strangers, “Why’d you come here? Why the smoke?”

“Rumors,” answered the clearly old wolf-man as he shifted back to his fully human form. “The word was a dangerous kitsune twisting a pack of wolves.”

Stiles frowned. “But why involve yourselves in that?”

“History.”

With a low growl, Peter got himself up onto shaky feet, moving to sit on the ground beside Stiles’ legs. Peter didn’t feel steady enough to make it any further than he had. He gently stroked Stiles’ leg likely to comfort them both.

With a deep breath, Peter closed his eyes while touching Stiles. Then, a smoker’s cough of a voice emerged from Peter’s lips. “Tricksy.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. He gently ran his hand through Peter’s hair clearly seeking to sooth both the wolf and the otherness within him. Stiles didn’t care about what others saw right this moment. He was too tired of bullshit. He slid his phone out of his pocket before fumbling it into Scott’s hands, saying, “Text my Dad. Let him know what’s up and to send Chris officially and Ally unofficially, please.”

Scott nodded, getting to texting while leaning his head on Stiles’ shoulder.

---------------------------------------------

Feeling unbelievably complete being this close to Stiles, Scott barely kept himself from rumbling akin to a cat in the pleasure of being valued, trusted to talk to other pack members on Stiles’ phone.

All this time, everything had been chaos. He’d been misled… confused. He ignored the important things, which turned out to include his inner wolf. How the hell had he managed to miss that?

Then again, he knew he’d missed far more than that. Many things that were admittedly too cruel to dwell on right this moment.

Scott had some texting to do, and he hoped his being allowed to do so meant he was on the right track to regain the friendships he’d killed/lost as well as develop friendships he’d never had/ hadn’t had even though he’d not realized it.

-----------------------------------------

While Scott got to texting, Peter watched everyone. He seemed shaken.

Stiles kept his eyes on everyone for a moment, taking an assessment in a sense. When Derek returned with some of the first aid supplies, Stiles said, “Please leave some here with me and pass out the rest as needed. I want everyone—even the hunters to get what needed treatment we can provide right now. No body notify anyone else, except Scott who is doing so with my phone.”

Derek judgmentally furrowed his brows at his Alpha, but he still did as told.

Cora and Erica came forward with Boyd to grab some of what he had and got to working on the few still alive hunters.

Derek left some with Stiles as well as giving Deuc some of the first aid stuff.

Lastly and hesitantly, Derek approached the two wolf-men and the third person with them, saying, “Hey, here’s some stuff to help you all get patched up.”

Although he didn’t offer to patch them up, Derek did give them a faint nod, seemingly to signal it was safe.

Derek then returned to the teens of his pack, checking on those who may need help.

The two wolf-men were patching up the third person with them before anything else, it seemed.

Meanwhile, Deucalion crouched down before Stiles’ legs. He tsk’d some quietly as with Peter’s help, he gathered the right supplies. He then lifted Stiles’ blooded foot that had glass imbedded into it and poured some hydrogen peroxide over the bottom portion of Stiles’ foot.

The teen writhed in pain, but Deuc held him still none the less. He was careful not to bruise while still not allowing the foot to move.

Once the wound had dripped to a state of wetness with more visibility, Peter began slowly removing one bit of glass after another.

There probably would have been whining or crying, maybe even shouting, as some of the glass was deeply imbedded as well as in a range of sizes, but Deuc and Scott were both actively taking Stiles’ pain, leaving him a bit loopy to say the least.

Deuc kept working until there was no more glass in the teen Alpha. Next, Duke put on some anti-scar cream and bandaged the foot nice and clean.

Seeing that Peter still seemed thoroughly unmoored, Stiles kept petting the wolf’s head. Softly, Stiles wanted to say. Want to just hop up here in full shift? Or even, hey, want to go snuggle in Derek’s bed?

Stiles left out all of that and the other sweet and cuddly things he’d like to say since they in the middle of a big ass cluster. So, instead, Stiles said, “Deuc, Could you check Scott for glass? He was right under me for some of the glass breaking.”

Duke nodded though he didn’t seem too pleased with what the Demon wolf may have considered a demeaning duty.

With a quick apologetic look to Duke, Stiles forced himself to sit up straighter since there was no way he was looking to put weight on his feet just yet. Stiles then asked the three strangers, “Why’d you come here, again?”

Cora and Erica seemed to finish up patching what they could of the hunters as Boyd began pulling the dead hunters to one side, but he was interrupted.

Knocking on the wall just outside the loft’s blown open front door, Chris said, “This is Deputy Argent—and I’m coming in.”

Christopher Argent came in the door, weapon drawn. “Everyone freeze! Don’t move the bodies, Boyd.”

To Chris’ side, Allison stood with her bow drawn. She looked significantly less than pleased—beyond her father’s clear caution.

Seemingly having assessed the situation, Chris, without lowering in his weapon, asked Stiles, “What the hell is going on here? Your father nearly came unglued at being told not to come.”

Stiles sighed. He then motioned to the three people closest to Chris, saying, “They burst in with smoke canisters filled with foxglove. Then I got shot twice with beanbags. Deuc and Peter reacted strongly, getting into a fight with them. We got the smoke out to try and figure shit out and then more smoke canisters full of Wolf’s Bane and these hunters burst in, attacking… and yeah, this all happened with that.”

Chris frowned, looking to the three closest to him: “Who are you?”

The oldest of the three stood firmly up straight and tall. He stepped closer to Chris with no fear, disregarding the weapon in Chris’ hand entirely. “My, it’s good see you up close.”

Frowning harder, Chris pointed his weapon directly at the approaching man. “Don’t make me fire.”

The older man smiled though he did stop advancing. “You remind me of her, so much.”

Ally came around her Dad some, asking, “Are all the hunters bound?”

Stiles looked at Cora and Erica. They both nodded.

Erica moved to be beside Boyd.

Cora moved to sit beside her uncle, seemingly recognizing that something was wrong.

The older man looked to Allison but did not advance on her. “You’ve grown so much.”

Chris’ eyes grew huge, “Uncle Alex?”

The older man nodded, “Yes.”

The man with this ‘Uncle Alex’ said, “We should deal with the issue we’re here for first and the hunters next. Then, we’ll see about progressing with the reunion.”

Uncle Alex nodded, “Yes, that is important. Is the Nogitsune suppressed? Or, more accurately, cast out of the one possessed by it?”

At that, Stiles growled, low like someone was about to get seriously hurt. Stiles, despite the pain he didn’t bother to hide on his face, stood up. “Did Noshiko send you?! Is that why you used foxglove against us?!”

Uncle Alex nor the two others with him seemed to be fearful, but they did all look confused.

Scott was up, hooking his arm around Stiles waist to help take the weight off of Stiles’ hurt foot.

Stiles said, “No, Scott. Stay with Peter to protect him. Everyone else the same—protect Peter.

Faintly glowing, a fire in his eyes, Stiles growled again, “Did she?!”

Chris very carefully stepped back to pull Ally back to shield her.

Brushing off her Dad’s attempt to protect her, Ally rolled her eyes and in a far more even tone than Stiles, said: “No Dad, the question stands. Did Noshiko send you?”

Uncle Alex said, still visibly confused, “Who is Noshiko?”

Allis on sighed. “Please dial it back, Stiles.”

Stiles looked at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. “No. Look, why the hell are you here? And why should I not be ripping you apart for attacking my pack without cause?”

Uncle Alex tilted his head ever so faintly before looking to the other wolf-man.

The other wolf-man stepped more forward toward Stiles. “I guess the rumors may be true. At least the one.”

Although normally a bit more even footed, Stiles was not taking it well whatever they’d caused to happen to Peter. If they’d hurt himself, it wouldn’t have been different perhaps. Stiles could’ve taken it. He was NOT going to accept someone mistreating his pack.

Kali and Malia came up closer, stationing themselves on either side of Stiles.

Seemingly slightly emboldened by having Stiles so riled up, Kali said, “Well, Alpha, should we just rip them up into bite-sized snacks?”

Stiles could hear her cruel hunger for blood and chaos. He took the moment to pop his fingers before he said, “Normally, I would say no…”

Uncle Alex said, “We’re here to protect my family.”

He looked to the other wolf-man and then added, “We just are here to end a Demon fox to prevent it from hurting them. After that, we’re going to get rid of the Demon wolf that is supposedly in the area. We’re here to help our kin. If you mean them no harm, we have no issue with you. Just let us go about our business.”

Chris sighed, holstering his weapon, seemingly resigned to the fate of whatever came next.

Before Stiles could say a word or really anyone else, Kali burst into nearly hysterical laughter. She kept laughing and laughing, slapping her own knees. The whole situation, it seemed was just too funny!

Still choking back laughter, Kali announced, “Idiots! You’ve come to the most powerful pack in these parts that is the second most peaceful I know of in the U.S. to pick a fight with a spark!”

Kali could not get over, it seemed, how funny this was.

Deucalion rolled his blind eyes at his once beta. “You, it would seem, are thoroughly ill informed about what is happening here. Now, were I the head Alpha here, I’d have all of us teaming up to rip you apart. I have a reputation to maintain, and you’ve attacked my mate; however, sometimes even a Demon wolf is not the most powerful in the room.”

Stiles rolled his eyes as he sighed. “Seriously? Deucalion, even when you’re not ordering a death your words drip with vemon.”

The Demon wolf grinned. “Someone has to do it. You’re a bit more baby-faced than I. Others don’t see the threat you are, so I kind of sped up the discourse, like Kali, but more cultured.”

Kali growled half-heartedly at Deuc while still recovering from her laughter.

“See,” Deuc said. “I’m treated like a kitten these days, but I’m still more threatening to outsiders than you, Stiles.”

The teen rolled his eyes. He then re-focused on the trio. “Look, the two you seek are members of my pack. We’re not roving evil-doers or some kind of Marvel or DC villain.”

Uncle Alex said quietly, “I’d feared that could be the case.”

Stiles frowned. “Huh? Why attack if you knew it may not be what you thought?”

The other wolf-man said. “We didn’t attack. You guys did. We were originally just going to talk, to see what the lay of the land was. But you attacked, so we attacked back.”

Stiles asked, “And why is it a ‘fear’ that we weren’t the bad guys?”

Uncle Alex said, “It means that something else is amassing here. It also means my brother may be up to worse than I’d ever thought possible.”

Chris said, “How do you mean?”

Uncle Alex sighed and then said, “I knew, years ago, that my brother enjoyed hunting. Now, I don’t begrudge someone liking their job, but Gerard? He enjoyed it on a visceral level. The more cruel and violent the better.’

“I’d hoped that with my seeming passing, he might gain some perspective. Perhaps glean some idea of what really matters. But sadly, he had not gotten better. I had concerns, but with the fox and wolf being somewhat peaceful in your pack, it means my brother is the likely source of the call for hunters from all over to come here to fight the demons of Beacon Hills.”

Stiles felt his hands shaking, but he couldn’t stop it. Someone knew Gerard was out here and had some clue about him being twisted and hadn’t done anything. Before anyone could stop him, Stiles ripped his shirt off, revealing the stitches all over his chest, over his abdomen. He even did a bit of a twirl to show the back as well.

Then, Stiles looked ‘Uncle Alex’ dead in the eye—“You knew he was off his rocker and did nothing?! You knew and you left him loose to burn an entire family to the ground alive and trapped in their home—wolves, humans… everyone? Allowed him to carve into me and have his men carve into my flesh?! Carve into Allison’s flesh? He branded her!”

Shaking, feeling as though he may vibrate right out of his body, Stiles knew his hands were glowing and sending off sparks. He growled low. “He’s tortured me multiple times—the first couple believing me human and torturing me to provoke a peaceful teenager who was turned against his will because GERARD and KATE burned an entire family alive!”

Allison set aside her bow quickly. She then moved to Stiles, “Please let me help?”

Stiles shook his head—“No. they should look. He should look at the consequences of his actions. Plus, if you really pay attention, my back and chest are names—name of his victims. Victims he had carved into me to be found by my pack after he murdered me. The family he burned to the dirt alive? They’re on my chest, so that my Dad and my pack would have to see it all—a huge taunt… and if they attacked? If they try to save me? They’re the monsters… how can you bear to exist knowing about a monster and letting him roam free unchecked?!”

Suddenly, from Stiles’ perspective, Peter wrapped himself around Stiles, holding him close. Peter tucked Stiles’ face into the crook of his neck while he held the shuddering Alpha close, secure.

Derek approached from the back and wrapped a blanket around the pair. Once he stepped back, he gave a deep and cruel glare at the trio as if his very anger at them may cause them to burst into flames.

The younger wolf-man took a step closer. “You do not understand. I sympathize with your pain, but Alex couldn’t have come back, addressed Gerard. He needed time. Everyone I turn does. I am not a normal werewolf.”

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: references to Hale fire, references to torture, canon typical violence, emotional distress/feels, seizure, blood, suffering

Thank you for reading!

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Chapter 8: Rumors (& Answers?)

Summary:

Loft attack. Explaining. Argents. Panic.

Notes:

I hope you all enjoy this shorter chapter!

**Trigger warnings** in end note

The wolf then continued, “You may have noticed that my half form is massive, but that is not all.’

“You see, I’m not normal. I predate all modern werewolves. Part of what comes with that is more shifted states, levels of transition. It also means an unbound level of rage and chaos, feeling profoundly more than is available within the human spectrum of experiences. After being turned—which takes more than a simple bite—it takes months to fully be able to turn, to shift at will.’

“On top of that, it can take many years to master one’s self enough to be around others without being reduced to a feral rage-beast driven by primal needs for sex, blood, food, and violence. This is his first time back to this area, back to his own family. He wasn’t ready until now. He could not have saved you from such cruel experiences. He possibly would’ve killed you accidentally in his drive to kill his brother.’

“I am so sorry for what you’ve been through, but there is little he or I could’ve done for you until now. With that said, we are here now, and we can help you with Gerard. We can also share the intel we have managed to gather on our way to Beacon Hills.”

Stiles kept his face buried against Peter for a moment or three longer before he withdrew, gathering himself inside. He slipped out of the blanket as he stooped down and grabbed the shirt of Scott’s he’d been wearing. He then pulled the shirt on.

Taking a breath, the wolf continued speaking, “And, I apologize for our initial actions. It was not intended as an attack, but more of a chance to sperate the Demon Fox from its victims and those it may be manipulating with the side hope of throwing off the Alpha Pack and its Demon Wolf leader.”

Rolling his shoulders and still trying to ignore the pain he felt both physically and emotionally while skipping the justification for the attack regardless of their claims, Stiles finally said. “Well, what is it you’ve heard? Is it of any better quality than your mis-informed take on the supernatural creatures in town?”

Uncle Alex seemed to refrain from commenting on the dig, instead saying, “He’s gathering as many to him as he can. It seems he’s seeking to strike down a large pack which based on what we’ve seen so far could be you all.”

Stiles nodded. “It probably is. We’ve fought and beat him a time or so, but he just keeps coming back for more. He doesn’t like losing, and his hypocrisy knows no end much like his pride, self-delusion, and narcissism.”

The other wolf-man said, “I’m not surprised. Alex has shared much about the man. I suspect you all would welcome the demise of the man?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “I have other ideas, but I’d settle for him being dead—permanently; however, whether the geriatric knows it or not, his daughter is heading our way too.”

Peter said softly, “She’s already in town. Chris found some footage of her at a gas station on the edge of town. She’s been going there on and off for about a week it would seem.”

Stiles pulled Peter close, aware the wolf wasn’t feeling entirely okay. The wolf was off, and Stiles wanted him to feel loved, held together. That’s why when Deucalion moved to curl around his mate, Stiles let go of Peter to focus on Chris for the moment. “Have you heard anything?”

Allison said, “Lots of noise about some big threat locally, but nothing specific yet.”

Stiles nodded. “Yeah, La Loba is believed to be here as well. The Calaveras—though not sure how many—are here looking for her. They’re pretty brutal, I suspect. They certainly were of serious concern to Alpha Ilto.”

Allison nodded.

Chris looked a lot more alarmed than Allison about the Calaveras. He said, “What, if any, details do you have on that?”

Stiles said, “That they’re not entirely hiding that they’re here. Only what numbers of them are here. But honestly who is to say what that really means one way or another. As it is piling up, it would seem that the old gang of villains, and some new to town, are all rallying whether everyone knows about everybody else or not, to have a knock down drag out right here in Beacon Hills.”

Christopher frowned harder. “Not even half the bag. Gerard knows about the Calaveras—I don’t know if he knows they’re in town, but if and when he does know, it’ll make him more dangerous. While they follow the code—unlike Gerard—they are violent and cruel in their to-the-letter following of it as well as re-defining what types of torture are permittable to track a violent supernatural threat, including hurting the innocent for the greater good.”

Stiles sighed, “So, like Gerard but with supposed morals?”

Chris said, “Sort of. Even more emphasis on family and an intense head of the family. Our family has a surprisingly progressive tradition. Knowing war and violence are typically started by men, we place the final decisions, the hard ones, with the women. Our sons are trained to be soldiers, our daughters... to be leaders. The Calaveras choose their leads through those oldest, most headstrong.’

“They have a very strong lead. Araya Calavera is not one to wrangle with if you can help it. She takes no prisoners in most cases. Her family is unquestionably loyal. That you know any of them are here is certainly on purpose. We need to be careful.”

Henri Argent then spoke, adding, “A Loba implies a wolf, but I am concerned that is not the case. That or there is an additional shifter on top of La Loba. There is a shifter gathering a small supernatural group to fight. We don’t have a lot of information beyond that anyone who gets close disappears with some blood left behind.”

Kali kicked in, “The hunters committed suicide—they were ready for capture. Seems we wasted supplies helping them.”

Stiles sighed internally, keeping as neutral a face on the surface as possible despite the urge to yell. “Sounds like those must have been specifically Gerard’s men, not just those answering the call mentioned. He would know about Scott’s take on things and not want to risk us learning something by us letting them live.”

Uncle Alex said, somewhat tentatively, “Christopher, where do you stand in relation to Gerard?”

Chris let loose a hint of a sardonic laugh: “Last I knew? I’ve been downgraded far past being a black sheep, past being breeding fodder, and right down to being unworthy to even acknowledge his boot on my face.”

Uncle Alex then asked Chris, “And Kate?”

Peter laughed, sounding a hint hysterical for a moment. “Alive… and a shifter. I must have accidentally turned her.”

Stiles moved closer to Peter and Duke, whispering too faintly to be heard by any wolf but Peter and Deuc that how things would be worked out. Stiles would make it okay.

----------------------------------------------------

Within Peter Hale’s mind…

Everything was a bit of a blur.

Peter was trying to get back on track in his own mind. He’d had Stiles in his lap with Deuc to the one side and the arm of the couch to the other, right? Stiles was warm and welcome on his lap. They—Stiles, Deucalion, and Peter—were trying to spend more time together, more safe touching. No promises, no demands. Just comfort. Just safety.

Then BOOM!

The doors to the loft—yes, yes. They were at Derek’s loft. The doors blew open, smoke canisters were rolled in. windows were broken… broken?

Yes, broken. They were broken by more smoke canisters. Then a flash bomb. The smoke was being worked on, there were words. There was Foxglove in the air, not Wolf’s Bane. The smoke burned still though.

The Nogitsune, yes. The Demon fox. The dark kitsune possessing him did not ‘hurt’ in a physical sense—no body to hurt, and wolves weren’t hurt by Foxglove. But weakened. Weakened by it anyway though.

It was starting to get angry:

HOW DARE THEY DO THIS TOO ME! I’M A THOUSAND YEAR OLD DEMON! YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME!

Peter was distracted from the smokey infuriated fox inside by when Stiles was shot—two firing sounds. No blood on the air, but pain in the Alpha’s sounds. Movements?

Charging. Charging ahead for the three strangers. He couldn’t fully remember when they got there, but they hurt Stiles! No one was allowed to hurt Stiles.

The dark kitsune within Peter angrily agreed:

NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO HURT STILES!

Attack, attack, attack!

Stiles makes them stop, yes them. Not just Peter and the Nogitsune—no, Peter and Deucalion.

The others—those they were fighting, weren’t right. They were wolves… but not like other wolves?

Some words. Yes, words—talking? Then more gas—it burns! Wolf’s Bane! But there’s still Foxglove, everything is wrong!

Suddenly Stiles touches him and the kitsune flees into him. Then a blank patch—was he shaking? He doesn’t know for sure.

His body hurts like he’d been tensing and flexing his muscles, but he just wasn’t sure. His mind was fuzzy. He was sitting (again?).

Peter was against Stiles’ leg. There was blood—Stiles’ blood. He moved his hand where Deuc led him to so that he could hold Stiles’ ankle, foot still. That’s what was bleeding. Stiles’ foot was bleeding.

Peter began siphoning out some of Stiles’ pain. It helped distract from the confusion and disorientation. This wasn’t right. Not right!

Bandaging, blood. There was a fight while he was blank. He could smell it.

Slowly, but surely, Peter had regained some semblance of understanding. He was in the loft, the loft with Stiles and Deucalion. He was in Derek’s loft.

From the smell of things, there were hunters. They attacked too. The strangers were still there.

Stiles’ foot was bandaged.

Peter kept taking the pain: he needed it to anchor himself. Since he didn’t need to hold Stiles’ foot anymore, he wrapped an arm around Stiles’ leg.

Then Stiles was moving, shaking off others’ attempts to stop him. The pain in the Alpha’s voice as he spoke.

Peter did not like Stiles being in pain. And without taking pain, his world slid into and out of focus. Stiles kept talking. He sounds angry. There were other voices—some more plaintive, more searching.

Unable to help himself, Peter got up, sought to hold Stiles, to help him. Stiles’ shirt—no, Scott’s shirt… why was Stiles wearing Scott’s shirt? It didn’t matter. Stiles was taking it off, spinning a bit, showing all the stitches while sounding angry, accusing.

Peter didn’t know what to do so he pulled Stiles into him, sought to hold him, protect him.

Nuzzling into his Alpha, Peter felt someone wrap a blanket around them. Peter really wanted to keep Stiles safe even though he noticed that at some point the Nogitsune bled back into him. Right?

The Alpha seemed a little less angry maybe? He bent down to grab the shirt he’d taken off and pulled it back on.

But Stiles did not return to the comfort Peter offered, the comfort Peter wanted.

Deucalion did more to hold Peter though. That was nice. Nice to have his other mate there, holding him.

There was more talk, but it didn’t matter right then.

Until it did: he heard Christopher, Christopher and Allison added to the voices.

Peter tried to tune in to what was happening. It wasn’t easy in the least. An eternity and a few seconds later, he heard something about Kate, he heard it and remembered.

Oh, how the memory hurt. Not only was the vile excuse for a living thing alive, but she’d been turned. He must have turned her. In his eagerness to have her blood everywhere, blood on everything for all she took, he must have clawed too deep, cutting into the bone.

He could only feel the weight of such a failure. He might’ve said a thing or two at some point, but that was beyond his care one way or the other right now.

Not only had he failed, failed to avenge his dead sister, his parents, his wife, their unborn child… his entire family, he’d given her the gift of the bite in his own fool-hardy recklessness! That same arrogant recklessness that allowed him to miss it, to not see she was abusing Derek, using him.

Peter just kept failing! He was a complete and total failure. He’d let them burn. He’s lived while they all burned alive over and over until the regeneration just couldn’t keep saving them, couldn’t keep them fighting for survival through the smoke, the screams… the pain… the hearing the human members of the family die quickly—the only mercy in it all.

He failed, he watched his pregnant wife being slow burned—her human body quick to death, but the last beats of his son’s heart pounding once or twice more so loud, so terrifyingly, painfully loud, and Peter could do nothing. He couldn’t save his son, his wife—he’d been useless and lived… lived when so many who mattered so much more than him died, died incredibly painfully. His sister died believing her children were dying too, powerless to go to them, to save them. Too much screaming to know whose voices you heard anymore.

All of this, and he dared to live! He dared to survive! Not only did he survive, but he deserved more! He deserved to never come out of his coma! He deserved the hell, the last beats of his son’s heart in his already dead wife… the look on his poor wife’s face in such agony, desperate to save their child, to save their child and Peter even. Watching the fire burn so hot he got to see her melting!

Then he got a chance! He got a chance at revenge—he was able to move. Just a little at first, but he could move. He could move and the first thing he did was kill his niece—one of the only two members of his family left! He killed her! He killed her, blaming her for abandoning him, her and Derek leaving him there helpless. But he was wrong—he left them. He couldn’t stop this from happening. He should have stopped all of this from happening.

And then, Alpha Spark in him, melting his mind like his wife’s sweet face. It was all ash. He still burned and failed again and again. He was a failure and that monster lived—she lived and he gave her the bite—accidentally, but he gave it to her!

He gave the monstrous abomination the gift of lycanthropy!

Peter felt his mind swirl inside himself. He couldn’t handle it, couldn’t bear it! He’d let her live! He’d helped her live! He turned her!

Peter felt like his whole world was crumbling. It had started earlier. It had started when he saw her—then the flash of her eyes, caught on film!

He was worthless: he let her live! He saved her from him! From the justice he sought to wrought upon her, and she lived! He’d failed his family, failed Derek (many times over now), failed everyone, even his new pack!

The Hale spark hadn’t chosen Peter—it chose Stiles!

Peter let all the Hale worthy of the spark die, and someone else had to come in to help—someone else who Peter failed! The writing was in the stitches on Stiles’ body! They would be the scars on the… on the Alpha’s body! Stiles, his lover, wore the names of all those he’d failed in his family, but also all those he’d failed by not attaining justice, revenge! He failed everyone those names represented that Kate or Gerard hurt—Peter should’ve stopped them!

Instead, all he had was one mate blinded by Gerard, driven mad consequently and his other mate, his lover who was carved into because Peter was useless: a total and complete failure, unredeemable!

All Peter got, all he had was tarnished, damaged by all that Peter failed at, all he had allowed to be, to become! He did so much—all foolishness and false pride for nothing but the memories of his wife’s already dead, melting face and the last beats of his son’s heart in his already dead wife!

THUMP, Thump, thump… thump…thu…

Nothing. Nothing more. Everything was gone or damaged by Peter’s inability to do anything! He’d failed! He kept failing! Everything he loved was dead or dying, and it all was because of him!

Peter let his legs crumble beneath him, falling to carpeted floor—absently knowing he wasn’t at the loft anymore—Derek’s loft. Derek who he kept failing, couldn’t save—didn’t save! Kept hurting Derek, hitting, hurting and just so much kept happening, and Peter could do nothing but fail!

Sitting back on his heels, Peter covered his face with his all too human, too weak hands.

Someone was crying, hysteric, laughing even, but it was too far away from him, too quiet beside the sound Peter could never escape:

THUMP, Thump, thump… thump…thu…

Everything felt like it was melting. Everything was melting away. Everything became his wife’s face as she died, as she tried so, so hard to save him, save their child but all was for naught. She died.

She died before their son. She melted, turned to ash. She was dead.

All he could see was her and all he could hear was:

THUMP, Thump, thump… thump…thu…

Vaguely, he realized he was the one laughing and crying—he was the hysterics, but it was still so far away.

His whole world was his wife’s last efforts, her sad, dead eyes. The way she tried so hard to fight for them to live. She was so strong, but she died. She melted. She was turned to ash. She was dead. She died before their son. She was dead.

All he could really hear with clarity was:

THUMP, Thump, thump… thump…thu…

------------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles had no idea what to do. Peter was laughing and crying—he sounded hysterical. Stiles tried to gently stroke Peter’s hair. At the same time, Stiles looked to Deucalion, Derek, and Cora. “We need to move him out of here.”

Derek nodded, visibly terrified of whatever was happening to his uncle.

While not wearing her emotions on her face or shoulder, Cora looked like it wouldn’t take too much to push her too far into panicking about possibly losing her Uncle Peter.

Stiles looked to the trio and said, “Are you friend or foe?”

Uncle Alex said before the other wolf-man could, “Friend.”

Nodding to those words, Stiles looked to Ally and Chris, “Allison, can these three catch a ride with you to my house?”

Allison sighed. “Yeah, we’ll grab Rod, Sam, and Grit along the way.”

Stiles nodded. He looked at Derek again, “Take Peter, Deuc, and Cora in your car to head to my place. He seems pretty out of it, but I don’t want to risk him losing control away from the pack, especially right now.”

Looking back to Ally, Stiles said, “do you guys have Lydia with you?”

Shaking her head, Allison said, “No. She’s with Jackson.”

“Then, have her get Jackson to bring them, Kira, and Danny to my place. Also, everyone, text all our pack members. We’re going to my place—all hands on deck, including Dad and Mel.”

-------------------------------------------------------------

Forty-five minutes later, the Stilinski house….

Stiles’ Dad and Melissa with the twin’s help had brought in any and all chairs in the house to the living-room dining-room area. The two areas were scattered with chairs to try and have some place for everyone to sit.

Allison sat at the dining-room table with Lydia sitting on her lap.

Rod, Sam, and Grit leaned against the wall behind Ally—all looking anxious.

Christopher was in the kitchen alongside Mel: they were making teas and coffees, really a range of drinks for everyone there.

Ennis was standing beside the back door as if guarding.

Noah Stilinski was standing in the livingroom, seemingly keeping a wary eye on Peter who was on his knees, still laughing and crying.

Seeking to help but clearly not sure what to do, how to help, Derek, Cora, and Deuc were all coalescing around Peter.

Kira sat awkwardly at the dining-room table. She stood out, especially in her pretty pastels. Regardless, she was wearing the sling with the fox kit in it since she seemed the lighter option for that task.

Jackson sat on the living-room couch beside Adrian, Danny, and Boyd.

Erica sat on Boyd’s lap.

The twins—Aiden and Ethan—were sharing Noah’s over-stuffed lazy-boy chair.

Isaac sat on the floor, cross-legged with Levander standing by his side.

Scott looked terrified. What Peter was doing seemed to scare the teen down too deep into his bones.

Kali and Malia leaned beside one another against the wall behind the dinning room table.

Alice and the old wolf from Gerard’s torture base sat quietly on the floor a ways in front of the couch, seemingly just settling for whatever was coming next.

Uncle Alex stood near Christopher.

The other wolf-man was sitting in a folding chair near where Alex stood.

The silent third part to their trio sat in a folding chair on the other side of the sitting wolf man from Alex.

All the while, Stiles seemed to be thinking quite hard about their next step.

With Lydia at her side, Allison kept staring at the younger-looking wolf-man. It looked like she was trying to put together some puzzle that no one else seemed to notice was present.

Stiles, unable to help himself, asked, “Ally why are you staring at him?”

Ally waved off Stiles without even looking at him.

Stiles sighed. Of course, he was seen as little more than a nuisance. He chided himself inside, knowing that was not what Allison meant.

Allison then asked the younger looking wolf man, “Who are you? You remind me so much of a few someone’s, but I hesitate to guess just yet.”

The younger looking man smiled kindly, “It’s good to know you saw it. I have more than enough mercy to not waste your time or mine on a guessing game. I am Henri Argent.”

Chris Argent frowned hard, clearly not believing but also not sure what he should believe, likely based on Alex Argent being alive at let alone there right then.

Before Ally or Christopher could say anything, Stiles asked. “Are you the one who found the use of Yarrow on Fey?”

Allison’s eyes smiled so hard. “Yes, he is. He was also wed at one point to Marie-Jeanne. He is one of the past Argents worthy to be respected.”

Henri’s face shifted to something akin to sadness.

Alex said, “In more ways than you know, and I don’t just mean his saving my life.”

Henri got a touch of a flush, saying, “Please, there are more important things to discuss. May I help your friend? Or, really, help you help your mates?”

Stiles lost all color in his face, genuinely had not expected those words to come out of any mouth, let alone a stranger’s. Unable to help himself, Stiles slowly nodded.

Deucalion growled, understandably not trusting an Argent.

Stiles moved to Deucalion, putting his hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze of support. “I’d like it explained before I or any of my pack do what you may suggest.”

Henri smiled. “Of course.”

Crouching down briefly to seemingly look at Peter’s state of laughing and crying hysterically before standing back up, Henri said, “You’re going to want to, as the Alpha of him, to crouch down in front of him, draw his attention to your eyes while holding a hand of each of your mates, and softly—only they need to hear—tell them that everything will be okay. That you will take care of them and that you will fix it all. And say it because you mean it, not just for them to hear. Make sure to flash your Alpha eyes and force your Spark toward them, even into them to seal your words like cement. It’s kind of like a sworn oath and spell all at once.”

Deucalion looked confused as all hell.

Stiles swallowed his thoughts one way or the other, including his previous words to try and comfort at the loft—what could it hurt to try again? Maybe it would work? Maybe give Peter some peace as at least right now, he seemed to have truly lost his damn mind.

After a deep breath, Stiles crouched down in front of Peter. He was aware that the whole room went silent. He zeroed his focus in on Peter to start, catching his eyes metaphorically as Stiles laid a hand over Peter’s and maintained his eyes being flashed Alpha red.

Stiles used his other hand to grasp Deucalion’s and bring it to Peter too so that they were all touching. He then said to both of them while never breaking eye contact with Peter while pushing his Spark at and into them without hurting them—“Everything is going to be okay. I am going to take really good care of both of you, and I will do everything I am capable of to fix everything wrong that I can.”

Peter, not breaking eye contact either, quieted, taking a slow, shaky breath in, then out.

Stiles didn’t look away, breathing with him, breathing with both of his mates. It was so weird to think such a thing, but the moment he thought it he knew it was true.

Peter broke the moment but didn’t, whispering, “Promise?”

Stiles nodded, but then he remembered their rule about words. “I do. I’m with you forever. Making everything okay is my job. I’ll figure it out.”

“Now, we need to talk,” Henri said, once everyone was properly calmed. “This may all seem out of a fantasy, but I am not a werewolf, like these werewolves. Nor is Alex. What we are is much, much older.”

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: references to Hale fire, references to torture, canon typical violence, emotional distress/feels, seizure, blood, suffering, panic/anxiety attack

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

"An Alpha's Sacrifice" by OhanaHoku in which one character's sacrifice changes the post highschool course of things for one Stiles Stilinski.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/38797923/chapters/97014501

"Empty Threats" by EloquentSavage wherein Stiles' mouth writes a check, but can he commit to what he said?
https://archiveofourown.org/works/33716137

"Oh... Possum?!" by Triskuit (TriskHellion) where Stiles and his boyfriends end up fighting demons and warlock, causing Stiles to need the bite.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/50470327

"An Uncle's Love" by OhanaHoku where Derek has a fever and needs help.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/51115669

Chapter 9: Panic, Wolves, & Fey, Oh My!

Summary:

Panic. Fear. Trauma. Stiles. Argents. History. Fey.

Notes:

Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I ran out of pre-written stuff, so had to take some time to get down on more writing. I think I have enough for a few more updates and then possibly a slow down again, but we'll see. Thank you so much for sticking around this far <3

**Trigger warnings in the end notes**

Peter felt Stiles’, his Alpha’s, words banging around in his head. This seemed silly. It wasn’t like Peter’d not already been told things would be okay. However, staring into Stiles’ eyes as the teen assured him that he would make it all okay, that he would fix it, that he included Deucalion in it too. Somehow it got through the panic, got through the loudness of Peter’s own heart beating and the words of rebuke forever on repeat within his mind if Peter didn’t keep his mind busy.

Taking a slow breath in, then out, Peter worked one bit at a time to work himself to calmness, then past that to be functional. Although no one had said anything one way or the other on this, they were all hands on deck. This was no time for Peter to slump over into uselessness. He needed to be on it. He had a job to do. He was a Right Hand for fuck’s sake!

Even though he did not move to stand back up just yet, Peter forced himself to focus on what was going on around him. He tuned into things in time to hear someone start talking about talking.

--------------------------

“Now, we need to talk,” Henri said, once everyone was properly calmed. “This may all seem out of a fantasy, but I am not a werewolf, like these werewolves. Nor is Alex. What we are is much, much older.”

“The person that turned me told me a long, draw out story, once. He said that what is taken for granted is what we even are. You see, there is more than one kind of werewolf. Although this was once a commonly known detail of lycanthropy, modern werewolves as well as other were-creatures do not know as know this anymore. ‘

“The extinction of some animal species is part of why as well as their human counterparts. You see, I’m a human and Dire Wolf—”

Lydia slipped in with a quick footnote, “They’ve been extinct for nearly 10,000 years.”

Stiles nodded, adding an unintended after thought: “The oldest record of them is nearly 250,000 years old.”

Henri smiled, “And why would you know that?”

Sitting on the ground cross-legged beside his mates, Stiles, petting both Peter and Deucalion who had full shifted into wolves on either side, said easily, “I researched. You may not know me, but I know a LOT about wolves. I had to. Can’t run with wolves as a human without learning everything you can. Otherwise, it could get fatal.”

Henri’s smile remained. “Well, that attests to your possible methods to garner such loyalty from wolves.

Stiles shrugged. “Honestly, everyone wants the same things—love, care, resources, loyalty.”

Smiling too, Alex said. “That makes sense. No wonder Gerard hates you so much.”

Finally continuing, Henri said, “Well, while those dates are what human society acknowledge, know, we were around longer. Closer to 300,000 years ago. Additionally, technically, there are still a few of us around. Not even a full handful of those who lived through those times are left, but there still are some. However, their and other Dire Wolves’ legacy carries on in the few they’ve bitten.’

“The one who bit me is part of the incomplete handful. Marie-Jeanne was so focused on the kill, on seeking out and outright antagonizing, after a point, anything supernatural and managed to kill one of the Dires’ betas. While to us, in our limited understanding, the werewolf was an adult man. However, to someone as old, long in tooth as the Dire Wolf was, we’d just murdered the equivalent of a baby, his cub.’

“He did not lash out at us. He ignored us even as Marie-Jeanne was shooting arrow after Wolf’s Bane dipped arrow into the hulking mass. The creature was in a partial shift, but bigger than any wolf either of us had ever seen. He stooped down to pick up his fellow wolf with profuse tears running down its wolf muzzle.’

“I didn’t, couldn’t shoot at anything with such raw emotions, such clear grief as he held his dead beta who likely died in intense fear and pain. Marie-Jeanne kept shooting and shouting at me to shoot. I just, I couldn’t. I did the only thing I knew to do. I grabbed her arm to haul her back. She reared on me, pointing an arrow at my face. She demanded answers. Answers for why I was betraying her, demanding why I would let that monster live, loose in a world wherein our child lived.’

“I didn’t respond quickly enough, so she quickly turned back on her target to find him gone. I’d given the mourning creature a chance to get away. She understood that too, unfortunately. She gathered up others. They all went on a hunt to find and kill the creature. I was told to stay home, watch the children in the village. I wasn’t trustworthy was what each action screamed.’

“While she was gone, away to hunting, I packed up myself and a piece of my daughter’s baby clothes. Sadly, my daughter was with her mother and being taught to be just as blood thirsty. I didn’t know what to do.’

“Sadly, I had failed her. I’d believed it too late though in retrospect I just cannot be sure. Maybe what I did was right. Maybe it was wrong, but you can’t go back. It’s one of the hardest lessons you will ever learn. I fled after setting up the children in the village to be as safe as possible. I couldn’t leave them defenseless. They were children.’

“Later—I’m not sure how long, I ran into the creature again. He roared at me, his eyes red, which Marie-Jeanne had taught me meant that he was an Alpha: the most powerful and dangerous. She’d always said to fight. You’d never outrun them. I did neither. Seeing the creature, I spoke instead. I apologized for what happened to his beta. I explained that I was not hunting him. Our meeting was but happenstance.’

“And, well, from there it’s a form of history. We became friends. Then he turned me, with my permission. I had hurt my leg quite badly. Either I needed to be put out of my misery or turned. The wound would kill me before we could reach adequate help. I’m so grateful for the life he allowed me.’

“And, in penance for leaving my daughter and teaching Marie-Jeanne the things I did about herbs and their purposes/uses, I’ve been watching, helping my line where I can as well as helping the recovery for wolves, werewolves, and other weres and supernatural creatures bounce back from the cruelties of the world, especially hunters.”

Alex then started. “He found me, wounded from a hunt, screaming for someone to help me, get me to a hospital, save me. He bit me. I didn’t fully understand at the time, but he gave me a chance that I’ve sworn I will pay forward at every chance I have. I didn’t understand and cried out more.’

“Gerard found me but the wolf had gotten away. I never saw his human face. Gerard convinced me to follow the family tradition of suicide on the night of the full moon right before I shifted for the first time and lost control. I checked into a motel, brought my shotgun. I left some cash on the side table for the motel to pay for the inevitable cleaning price for the mess I would make. I shot myself in the head.’

“Now, with a normal werewolf, that would’ve been fatal, especially so early in the experience, but Henri was not a normal wolf, as he’s explained. Well, I was buried and everything as my pulse was too slow to be detected by humans, and I looked very much closed casket. My body was fighting to heal me, so all the noticeable signs of life were more diluted in a sense.’

“When I finally regained consciousness, I was faced with Henri who had dug up my grave and pulled me out of it before reburying the casket. I was in one of his homes when I woke up. I was so confused. I think I was genuinely scared, worried about what this might mean. I was dead, right? However, he started talking to me, explaining much of what he’s shared with you in terms of his history.’

“He then told me that after I had ‘killed myself,’ Gerard had used it as an excuse to blind an innocent Alpha that had been seeking peace with our family. He explained what all had happened that I missed, including the monster Gerard had created: the Demon Wolf.”

Deucalion growled.

Alex was quick to continue: “Sorry, but it was how it was explained at the time.’

“And since? Well, as I know you all are aware of, Gerard, my brother by blood has been fighting to get himself turned in the hopes that it would save him from his cancer as well as allow him to hunt and kill supernatural creatures for many, many more years.”

Allison then spoke, “So… does Gerard know you’re alive?”

Alex shook his head. “I keep my hair, mustache and beard long and my clothing non-descript. I’m a basic middle-aged white dude. I’m not terribly memorable, and I work to keep it that way.”

Ally said, “Then you want to steer clear of us. He and others are up our butts right now. You’ve already seen some of it.”

Stiles nodded. “Even if he didn’t know you were still alive, I doubt that’ll last if you stick around, assuming he hasn’t already started to question.”

Alex grinned. “That’s the thing about big brothers—they assume they are smarter, that they always know more.”

Ethan chuckled. “They really tend to go that way, don’t they?”

Aiden gently nudged his brother in the side: “You only younger by maybe two minutes.”

Henri then sighed, clearly saddened by whatever he had to say. “I hate to do such a thing so soon, but may I ask about your scars?”

Stiles shrunk a bit, but he swallowed hard before saying. “Yes.”

Henri nodded. “Did Gerard do all of that?”

Sighing, Stiles said. “A lot of it is him and his lackies. My being human doesn’t really matter in terms of my safety. My money’s on that several times I only lived because my Dad is the local Sheriff. I’m considered a species-betrayer.”

Alex nodded. “Sounds like my brother all right.”

Chris had stayed quiet most of this time, holstering his weapon at some point.

Ally too had set aside her weapon.

Stiles wasn’t done yet, flailing one arm out toward the third of the group of men, saying, “And, who is this?”

The third of the trio bowed as though he were but an actor in a play even as he winced, having been seriously hurt. “I am but a fool.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “This is Shawn. Or at least that’s what he’s asked us to call him.”

Frowning, Stiles then asked, “So, you think he may be a liar?”

Henri shook his head. “No, more like has had far too many concussions. You can ask your pack—he seems human, but he’s not. He’s not a liar but he is not someone who expresses things clearly. Kind of a riddle of a riddle in yet another riddle. And that does not even get into if you can set him up with the right drink—”

Before Henri could finish, Stiles could not help but ask, “Honey-mead the right drink?”

Smiling seemingly with pride, Henri said, “Yes, of a type. He’s not full—a mixed heritage as one might say.”

Lydia then looked to Shawn and Henri both, asking, “Part fey?”

Shawn grinned too wide for a human and winked at her.

Henri said, “That right there is as much of an answer as he’s ever given. He has several issues that must be from past head trauma—more than just concussions, but either he doesn’t remember or won’t say. I would not be surprised if at any given moment it could be one, the other, or both.”

Ally then asked, “Why then is he with you?”

Shawn then bounced nearly on the balls of his feet, and at his almost seven-foot height, that was no small thing. He the peeled off his own bloody shirt to reveal his wounds healing; however, they were not flesh knitted together as it appeared to be when the werewolves they’d know were healing—no. there were literal tree and other plant’s roots pulling him back together, leaving a fine, yet luscious moss (maybe algae?) where skin presumably once was.

Allison tilted her head faintly, not in submission but in questioning at the non-answer, answer.

Stiles’ mind was a step or two ahead, or so he feared. “You’re here for the Nemeton.”

Henri said, almost sadly it seemed. “Not quite. However, the Nemeton has a role in this. Too many a deal has been made here, both broken and kept. We’re here to do something about it, including but not limited to Gerard Argent.”

Peter and Deucalion both looked to Stiles at those words but did not shift. More like they were concerned about his take on it—not that they feared him hurting them, but they were fearing the cost in Stiles’ flesh that may be called for whether they liked it or not.

Stiles knew that look from each of them. He just gently petted them to try and sooth them and somehow without words share that he would try very hard for no body’s flesh but Kate and Gerard’s needing to be paid for whatever came next.

Then looking to both Henri and Shawn, Stiles asked, “What do you think the answer to that is?”

Henri sighed. “That is an excellent question.”

Shawn just kept smiling but his attention was focused on Malia, not the rest of the group. He approached her closer, seemingly sniffing her.

In response, Malia growled, but so did Kali.

Shawn looked her up and down, seemingly sizing her up. He then looked to Stiles, waving him over without a word.

Stiles felt hesitant, but he actively worked to keep that to himself. He kissed the tops of both his mates’ heads before standing up to see what it was that the strange man wanted of him.

Shawn tilted his head faintly, but not enough to submit. He then said, “Lift your shirt.”

Henri jumped in with, “Please. He means please.”

Stiles frowned, seriously doubting that, but did as asked.

Shawn then held out a hand to Malia as he looked to her expectantly.

Malia growled but gave him her hand.

Shawn tugged her a hint closer with a strength his no-muscle, starving body on a frame of the bones in his skeleton didn’t show. He then used both his hands on Malia’s one hand. He manipulated her fingers until they were set up as if to point at something.

Then while still grasping her hand, Shawn pulled her even closer to Stiles’ lifted shirt.

Shawn placed her finger on a name on Stiles’ that had been carved into the Stiles’ chest.

Stiles’ eyes went huge. Derek, Cora, and Peter had the same reaction. They knew already that all the names on his chest were Hales.

Peter walked up, shifting to human as he did so without any body-shyness, like normal.

Malia looked confused until she really looked at what she was touching. Once she’d seemingly read it, she ripped her hand away with a ferocity as though she had been burned by what she’d touched. She kept backing up.

Kali moved to her, clearly not sure what to do but seeking to help somehow, possibly by prevent the young girl from fleeing fully from the Alpha of the pack.

Peter knelt before Stiles, brushing his fingers over the name on Stiles’ flesh that Shawn had pointed out: Malia Tate. Without moving from where he was, Peter looked to her and asked. “Are you Malia Tate?”

Even though she was shaking, Malia nodded slowly. “But I’m not dead. Everyone on your skin is dead, right?”

Shawn spoke then—“Not all is as it seems, a Hale in blood you be.”

Alex jumped on the moment before anything could explode into chaos. “Shawn’s magic can see through unseen, unknown things at times. It’s not the best every time, but it all matters by the end as far as we’ve dealt with so far.”

Derek asked, “How long has he been with you guys?”

Notes:

I hope that you've enjoyed the update even though it's a bit short! There's more action coming, promise <3

**Trigger warning: panic attack, abusive self-talk, mentioned past trauma, including violent trauma, mentioned/explained hate crimes and cruelty as well as gore and murder**

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

"I'm Only Heard in the Silence Between my Screams" by Irakushi_Narukib about what happens if Stiles just stops talking. https://archiveofourown.org/works/5624725/chapters/12955582

"Never Meant to be Alpha" by MyShipSailsHere in which Derek leaves the pack while Stiles is 18, but returns to some surprising changes. https://archiveofourown.org/works/15179480/chapters/35202338

"Alternate Halloween Plans" by doctorkaitlyn wherein Stiles is sick, but Scott and Kira bring Halloween to him. https://archiveofourown.org/works/5115935

Chapter 10: Rest & Omegas

Summary:

Shawn. Rest. Research. Tasks. Omegas

Notes:

Happy to see you again and hope that you're enjoying things so far <3

**Trigger warnings in end not**

Derek asked, “How long has he been with you guys?”

Alex shrugged, “From the beginning for me—Henri?”

The older in age but younger appearing in face said, “Easily a century or so. Time is weird after a certain amount has passed. But he cannot care for himself with all that has happened, so I took him into my protection. Like a permanent patient of sorts in terms I believe some if not all of you would be familiar with.”

Stiles looked down at Peter, thinking. This meant that not everyone’s name that was carved on him was automatically dead even more so than they’d already been thinking with Cora’s name on him. While that seemed a hope they had for some Hale names, it also seemed a hopeless hope, but now? Now, what else did they not know about the names?

Swallowing the layers of blisteringly painful questions that wanted to launch out of his mouth all at once, one on top of the other, Stiles asked Shawn. “Are you able to tell who is still alive or not?”

Having let Malia loose when she’d reared back, Shawn looked out of it until Stiles asked him a direct question. All of Shawn’s focus then moved to Stiles as he said, “Some are dead. Some are not. Some will be. Some are just lost.”

Keeping a hold of himself, Stiles slowly said. “I think we should take a break. I’ll start cooking up something for us all.”

--------------------------------------------------

Scott moved to the kitchen to try to help. He wanted to be of use. His inner wolf sought to serve—both the pack and the Alpha. Although he was not normally the one to make plans, Scott asked Stiles no less. “Would you like my help? For anything? Please?”

Even though he knew his once best friend could hear it anyways, Scott was trying not to plead and beg. He could feel the tension in the house and wanted to somehow fix this or help in any way he could.

Stiles paused before opening the fridge. A look crossed over his face as though he had a scathingly brilliant idea.

Scott really hoped that was what that look meant. It used to mean that, but who was he to say how much Stiles had changed? Scott knew he had by far no authority on the topic and maybe never did.

Stiles looked to Scott. “I want you to send Allison, Lydia, and … Cora to me. After that, go into the upstairs closet full of spare bedding, pillows, and such. Ask Boyd and Erica to help. Tell them I’m who is asking, not you.”

Scott nodded eagerly. While it did feel demeaning how eager to please he felt, somehow having a role within the pack, a family that included him in a meaningful anything was like slow-drying cement dribbling into him to fill a hole he didn’t know he’d had.

While he could hear Stiles getting into the fridge, Scott went to Allison and Lydia first since Lydia was literally sitting on Allison. He gave pause at the darkness that floated into place on both of their facing as he approached them.

Even with his sudden concern for his own safety in a way he was surprised he’d never noticed before, Scott held up both his hands while approaching. He then said, “Stiles would like to talk to you both in the kitchen.”

As he moved on to approach Cora, Scott could not escape the feeling that the two he had left were staring daggers into his back. Somehow it created a kind of phantom itch as though his instincts were screaming for him to take caution. In being someone who tended to ignore any sense of instinct, this connection to it was overwhelming.

Despite the short walk from the dining room to kitchen, Scott felt he’d put on at least six pounds of stress weight by the time he was standing before Cora. “Stiles would like to talk to you in the kitchen with the others heading there.”

Not waiting for whatever response she may give, Scott focused on a step at a time approach to doing EXACTLY what he was told to the best of his abilities.

The next stop was Erica and Boyd. As he moved to them, he again put his hands up in his approach. He didn’t feel like they were overtly threatening him, but he’d seen Erica in action too much to trust that state of being to not change without notice, and Boyd would likely follow suit.

Scott said once close enough but too close to them, “Stiles wanted the three of us to go upstairs and start bringing down spare bedding and such from the upstairs closet.”

Erica perked a brow before looking at Boyd.

As if he’d read her mind, Boyd tsk’d, “Stiles is probably in no mood for us having such strong expression of feeling just yet. I’m sure we may get the chance later.”

Erica sighed and pouted, seemingly disappointed at not getting to do whatever scheme she may have devised.

Scott faintly nodded before skittering his way out of sight and upstairs to begin plundering the closet for bedding. He gathered a bunch into his hands.

But as he turned to take it down, Erica took what he was carrying before nodding back to the closet.

Scott nodded at the unspoken direction and grabbed more bedding before he started down the stairs to deposit the bedding on the suddenly empty sofa. Once everything was out of his arms, he quickly stepped out of the way of a fully loaded with bedding Boyd before heading back upstairs while carefully staying out of Erica’s way as she brought down another stack of bedding.

Seeing what had so far been taken, Scott gathered himself a huge stack of pillows that he then began carrying downstairs.

However, once he had set those pillows down, but before he could head back upstairs for more, Stiles called out, “Scott? Can you come here for a moment?”

As he moved to his Alpha, Scott noticed Allison and Lydia leaving the kitchen and grabbing up Danny as well as the Alpha twins while they all headed upstairs.

Once in the kitchen, Scott noticed that Cora was still there.

The young she-wolf was pulling out cutting boards and some knives.

Jackson then headed into the kitchen with Derek—neither were called in by Stiles.

The young Alpha looked to Scott first—“You’re Cora’s assistant. Do as she says. And Cora?”

Cora looked to Stiles at his mentioning her.

Stiles continued, “Please just stick to us making dinner.”

Scott knew his eyes went wide at that as his throat went dry, and he found it hard to swallow as his mind flashed images of other things the young Hale could seek to do to him.

Stiles, seeing Scott, said, “Get a glass of water. No one is going to hurt you. We’re all just tired and grouchy, and if I’m right, plenty hangry on top of all that.”

Jackson then said, “Why am I here? I’m not in your kitty pool of misfit toys.”

Stiles sighed, sounding close to just how exhausted he must be. Before addressing Jackson, Stiles looked to Derek, “Can you please help Deuc to lead Peter upstairs to rest? This day has already been too much for him, and I don’t want him hurt by any more surprises if I can at all help it.”

Derek nodded, moving to leave, then paused. He stepped closer to Stiles, too in his space for it to be even remotely appropriate or normal as he whispered into Stiles’ ear for only him to hear even though Scott caught it: “Is… is Malia really a Hale?”

Stiles showed genuine empathy, saying softly, “I think so. But we’ll have to do some DNA testing to confirm. May also help to narrow down where in the family she fits.”

Derek took a moment, seemingly taking a shaky breath before a short nodded. Next, he headed to his uncle and an already shifted to human form Deucalion to help with Peter.

Cora too seemed to be listening. She stepped close to Stiles, saying, “If this turns out to be false, it may kill them both.”

Stiles nodded. “I know, but I’ve been wondering about how she’s seemed so strangely familiar even though I don’t really know her. I believe her. And even if somehow the DNA shows otherwise? Malia’s family. I really do not doubt it. Just not sure quite where she fits.”

Cora frowned, but she seemed to move on from it. She turned to Scott, saying, “Okay, you will need a strainer and mixing bowl.”

---------------------------------------------

Forty minutes later, upstairs…

While the others were mostly downstairs starting to make plates and sort out where they intended to eat, Stiles softly knocked on his cracked bedroom door.

Deuc said softly, “Come in.”

Stiles slowly pushed open the door to be presented with the sight of Peter curled up on Stiles’ bed where Deuc sitting beside him and laying an arm over him, whispering things to Peter.

With a soft smile of caring, Stiles approached the pair. Once he came to the bed by Deuc’s legs, he laid a hand on Peter’s shoulder, and then Stiles placed his other hand on Deuc’s shoulder. “If you’d like, I’m okay to sit with him for a while. Please, take the chance to get yourself some food. Maybe bring a little up for Peter?”

Deuc appeared hesitant to leave Peter, but he nodded anyways and left the room.

Stiles, while keeping his hand on Peter’s shoulder, moved to curl up around the older man. He spoke softly to him, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Peter looked to Stiles with wet bleary eyes, proving he was still crying even with it being quiet now instead of loud with hysterical laughter. “What do you mean by ‘it?’”

Stiles nuzzled behind Peter’s neck. Stiles also moved his arms to hold Peter closer, more secure. “I mean whatever you need it to mean.”

Peter relaxed just a fraction at that. He then spoke so quietly Stiles could only just hear, “I saw it, you know… I watched my wife. I heard my son die. My wife died first, but even from in her belly, I could hear his last, precious seconds. I… I’ve never told anyone. Most of the family didn’t even know she was pregnant. We were going to announce it the next morning.”

Stiles nuzzled impossibly closer to Peter before kissing the back of his neck. Stiles very carefully did not pry or pressure for more. He didn’t dare spout meaningless platitudes. He remembered all too well how hurtful such meaningless, bland nothings could be. How they were only said to lessen the guilt of others but didn’t really do anything for the grieving. His mothers’ funeral had been full of it.

Unwilling to torture Peter even accidentally, Stiles just held him close, leaving room for silence or more words or whatever Peter wanted.

A few minutes later, Deucalion returned to the room with two heaping plates, admitting, “I wasn’t sure what either of you like, so I thought we could all pick from this all.”

Oddly, Deucalion looked like he wasn’t sure if he was welcome but also seemed mad at himself for caring in the first place.

Stiles tried to take mercy on him, nudging his head faintly to offer for Deucalion to join them as he said, “Thank you.”

Deucalion sighed, almost like some of the tension that Stiles had initially missed in the room had broken some, like all of their strings were cut loose.

Seemingly less concerned, Deucalion moved to sit at Peter’s side like he had before, petting over Peter’s side and arms, even legs.

Stiles asked, “Peter would you like a bit to eat?”

Peter shook his head.

Stiles said, “Okay.”

They all stayed together for a while longer before Peter broke the silence again. “I can’t believe that not only did I fail to hold several people accountable for what happened to my family, I turned Kate. I gave her the gift by being too overly eager, reckless. I gave the least deserving person in the whole of existence, the woman who destroyed me, destroyed my family the supernatural benefits of being a werewolf. My family must be turning in their empty graves.”

Still nuzzling at the back of Peter’s neck, Stiles whispered to him: “They will be avenged. I promise. I will find a way.”

---------------------------------------------------

Next day, mid-morning…

Although a lot had happened the day before, Stiles had woken around 5am and hit the ground running from there: coffee, computers, and research-binge ‘r us.

He and Lydia had both awoken with that line of intent. Hence, they were and had been at the dining-room table surrounded by books, a laptop each, and plenty of files and other loose papers.

Stiles had four different drinks off to the side: a half empty can of soda, a near-empty cup of tea, a bottle of water, and an energy drink can. Lydia had the largest cup of sugary sweet coffee Stiles had ever seen near her. The Banshee had woken Allison earlier to make a drink run. Chris was currently on another drink run with Rod before Chris and Noah went to work for a swing shift that could easily become a double with Peter having called out.

Erica came to the table with another stack of papers that she’d sticky-note flagged the relevant information on. She set the stack next to Lydia because Stiles was busy destroying a pen cap in his mouth and cussing under his breath at his laptop. She carefully asked Lydia, “Is that a good sign?”

Lydia perked a brow and looked at Stiles then leaned a hint further over to see what he was looking at on the current tab of his internet searches he was on: missing persons directory, currently set to be sorted by state. Then, Lydia looked to Erica, “Mostly okay so far, but we are going to be eating out for lunch. That or someone else is cooking. He’s in deep.”

Seemingly feeling she had dealt with the concern; Lydia took up the papers Erica had brought and began sorting and working it into what Stiles and her were doing. She pointedly left out the other tabs that Stiles had open that may be more concerning moving forward including a few sketchy, hunter heavy chat rooms and at least two tabs open with the Sheriff’s login information if Lydia guessed right.

Erica returned to the livingroom where she, Boyd, Ethan, and Adrian were looking through photocopies of police files and other hardcopy materials for anything that could connect to the supernatural.

At the same time, Ally and Alex Argent were looking through more information that could lead to more information on hunters in town and their movements, especially Kate and the Calaveras. Gerard mattered too, but he was being much tidier with his work this time around it seemed. Apparently having died had encouraged more forethought this time around.

Henri Argent was in the guestroom upstairs making some calls to touch base with others though he’d not shared who the others were or why he was touching base, only that he needed to.

Sam and Grit were with Aiden in the kitchen chopping vegetables that Stiles had set out for chopping earlier to make veggie trays for people to snack on. There had even been a sticky note on the supplies in the kitchen with the names of who all were expected to do the task.

Stiles had left a few sticky notes around the house instructing people before he dug into research: a note on the inside of the front door declaring no one was allowed to go anywhere alone, which was pretty standard, but they did have three people who were not in the pack and didn’t know how they worked, so some clarity was needed. Next was one in the bathroom on the mirror stating that everyone needed to go downstairs once ready for the day as there were sticky notes with tasks for everyone just about.

Next was one on the inside of Stiles’ door for Deuc and Peter, instructing them to sleep in if they could to heal up as the day before had been hard as well as letting them know that Mel had called Scott out of school so he and the nameless old man were at the hospital with her at work.

Kali and Ennis were both given sticky notes on their person while they were sleeping stating that they should work on deciding if they were staying or not. Essentially, they were welcome in their current forms to join the pack or they would need to be making plans to leave the territory, but they needed to decide in the next day or two. Ethan and Aiden had gotten roughly the same notes on them as well.

However, Stiles suspected the answers they would give. He figured Ethan would want to stay with Danny and Aiden would not leave his brother behind. As a result, the other notes that included them in other tasks. Kali nor Ennis were included in the task rotation in the same way.

Noah and Danny were cycling loads of laundry to clean bedding and more to keep up on the overflow. Cora was ‘helping’ via promises to help fold while not wanting to get too close to the laundry soap.

Shawn, the third man with the Argents, was sticky noted to sit with the pictures of the names on Stiles and write down what he could, what he knew about them.

---------------------------------------------

Peter laid upstairs in Stiles’ bed with Deuc.

The Demon wolf was pretending to sleep or perhaps trying to go back to bed.

Peter softly ran his finger over Deucalion’s face and arms, skin to skin bonding in a sense.

Then he heard it—wolves approaching. He didn’t say a word to anyone or make a noise. Peter just quickly got up and raced down the stairs to the door. He opened it just as the other caught on. Aiden was quickly to his side, whispering, “Those are the omegas from school.”

Peter barely restrained a growl as the two wolves approached as if it was okay to just show up not only in someone elses’ territory but also at their den.

Once the two were close enough to hear him, Peter spoke lowly, “What are you here for?”

The teens stopped mid step and stilled standing alongside one another. They both seemed to not expect Peter either due to his being a wolf or perhaps due to him being an adult unlike the teens they had approached at school.

The teens looked to one another before saying somewhat quietly, “We need a pack. Hunters are swarming, and we have blue eyes.”

Stiles moved closer to Peter from behind, whispering, “If they want to talk, I’ve opened the back yard. We can talk there.”

Peter said to the teens, “Go into the back yard. We’ll meet you there.”

Neither teen looked too trusting of that, but it seemed they were desperate enough for it since they nodded a yes.

Peter gave a nod and stepped deeper into the house as he shut the front. He then looked to Aiden, then Ethan, saying, “Grab Deuc. He needs to stay in the main area while we do this to protect everyone inside.”

Aiden growled, “we’re not children.”

With a tart growl back, Peter stated, “I never said you were, but there are humans and wounded here. And those are wolves we don’t know. I get you may not have ever had a caring pack, but right now, you’re in one. Stiles? You going out too?”

Stiles gave a nod, adding, “Yeah. Cora? Ally? Can you two join us?”

As Stiles spoke, they could all hear Chris’ truck pull up out front.

Shaking his head, Stiles then edited. “Actually, Ally stick with Lydia. We’ll take Chris and Cora, if everyone’s cool?”

It took only a moment or two for Chris to come in with two trays of drinks.

Erica and Boyd happily grabbed them from him without a word.

Chris frowned, looking to Noah for an explanation.

Noah just pointed to Stiles.

Peter picked it up, “The two omegas are back. They’re in the backyard waiting for us.”

--------------------------------------------------

Lydia was still sat at the dining room table, looking through the possible supernatural aspects of police documents and reports while also looking into fey mythology.

Stiles had quietly shared with Lydia his concerns that one of the fey working with them could be a judas in disguise, so she was researching the situation as well as the politics of the fey courts based on myth and theory both confirmed and theoretical.

It made Lydia wonder if somehow one of the fey that’s helped them was sworn to the Countess or maybe one of the Queens? Or maybe someone made a deal that they had to pay off like Marin?

Regardless, they’d have to be more careful. It also brought into question what could happen with Issac depending on who it may be. The teen seemed fey touched since he had awoken from his coma, and the story he told of what occurred during the coma from his perspective screamed influenced/ fey-touched. There was no way that was hallucination!

The real question in terms of the coma experience for Issac was what became of the creatures he ‘saved’ as well as if that meant he was owed favor, had debt owed to him. Even if he did, was it debt owed from the golden fairy, the creatures or maybe the Nemeton? More than one? It was hard to say, but she’d been working on researching a lot of it on the side since.

Lydia knew that Banshee’s were at the very least fey adjacent if not more connected without her knowing, then add on Levander and the others? Well, their cups run-ith over in a sense. She refused to be caught off guard any more than they often were.

With the in mind, Lydia shifted her focus more into the fey aspects than the police files and other reports. Looking at the site Stiles had referred to her before reality had been changed and then changed back, forever ago nearly, she focused on really investigating the concept of deals with the fey. While whatever Issac had going on could be used in their favor when shit hit the fan, Lydia knew they couldn’t use that or anything else properly until they knew quite what was going on.

---------------------------------------

Peter stepped out back first, protecting Stiles, Cora, and Chris in his own way while also cataloging the stances of the two teens. Even though in different circumstances, Peter would defer to his Alpha, Peter knew that he was who heard the teens confess to blue eyes and could hear the truth in their statement.

Without much build up, Peter moved just a bit further forward than those with him once the back door was fully shut and asked, ”Why do you have blue eyes?”

The taller, darker of the two teens growled, “What does it matter? It’s a mark on us that prevents any hunter from listening to us. We need safety and you guys are the most obvious pack at school in terms of one of those at school is the Alpha of this pack and we need refuge.”

Refraining from shaking his head at the youths, Peter waited to hear who of his would speak next or if the teens would.

Chris broke the quiet, saying, “Well, not much can be done until you tell us how you got blue eyes.”

The shorter teen with bleached hair, said, “And why won’t the Alpha speak? We’re not here to talk to lackies. We want to talk to the head of the snake in a sense.”

Cora rolled her eyes. “Seriously? A snake metaphor? We’re werewolves, not an animal documentary or something else narrated by David Attenborough.”

The teens seemingly assuming that Cora was the authority, looked to her.

The taller one said, “We ripped up some other teens the night we turned after being attacked by a feral Alpha. It wasn’t anyone important.”

Cora looked to them, asking, “Was that local?”

The shorter teen scoffed. “No, we’re from a smaller town a good thirty minutes away by car.”

She nodded. “Are there others with you? Like other turned people?”

The teens shrugged, with the taller one saying, “Not that we know of. The hunters came and killed the feral, cut him in half supposedly, but we didn’t see it. We’re just trying to get ourselves into a better situation.”

Cora nodded.

Stiles stepped up beside her, saying seemingly as an advisor to Cora, “We really cannot afford to take in too many more. We’re short on resources.”

Cora played along and nodded.

The shorter teen said, “Seriously? Don’t listen to the runt. He’s not even a wolf. He don’t count.”

Chris then asked to no one in particular. “Is the area sound shielded?”

Stiles said, “Yup.”

Suddenly there was a single red hole in the foreheads of each teen.

Peter growled.

Stiles touched his arm, saying, “We had to.”

Peter shook his head, saying, “Not that. I just don’t want to hear Scott whine about it later.”

Stiles nodded. “I get it, but they’re dangerous, especially right now, and there is no way I’m syking them on Alpha Ilto, especially with her having shared information.”

Notes:

Thank you for reading!

**Trigger warnings: trauma response, murder, death, and emotional unease**

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

"Peter Hale's Redemption" by BornFirst087 which is a series wherein Peter transitions from one state of life into another all the way toward becoming apart of pack once again. https://archiveofourown.org/series/2751271

"He's Objectively the Best Member of Your Pack and You Ignore Him?" by stilestilinkskixeveryone where Stiles is sought after by the Alpha Pack while being disregarded by the Beacon Hills packs. https://archiveofourown.org/works/13792608/chapters/31707261

"In the Service of the Prince" by Bunnywest where Peter is under orders to stay away from Prince Stilinski while he takes shelter among the Hales. https://archiveofourown.org/works/52362034

Chapter 11: Family & Violence

Summary:

Decomposition. Family. Caring. Dragons. Berserkers.

Notes:

Happy Winter Holidays! SURPRISE! It's a surprise second chapter going up today!

I hope you enjoy both chapters!

**Trigger Warnings in the end note**

Meanwhile…

The massive and long female blue and white dragon coiled herself languidly around her hatchlings, humming something of a tune to comfort their young minds.

The smaller but strong male dragon rose up to sit on his bent hind legs. “My dear, we’re going to have to trust at some point. We’re out of our territory and have no current contacts in this area to help us get homoe or even try to make a home here if we’re stuck in this area.”

“No, Ricen,” the female dragon hissed.

Ricen sighed, but he did not back down this time. It was only his mate, his children, and him in the apartment building right now. He tried a different tact. “Before reality changed and was changed back, these … this pack, took in myself and the surviving hatchlings along with others tortured by that hunter. They took care to help treat myself and our young, when and if I allowed it. They are overall respectful and do not mean us harm, Nin.”

Nin growled lowly, “But we cannot trust humans! They are lead by a HUMAN!”

Ricen dropped down to all fours to move to snuggle alongside his mate, saying, “But he is not. He is more. Stiles is a Spark as well as someone who was also tortured, more than once, by the hunter who killed you, hurt our children.”

After a long, slow sigh, Nin nuzzled her snout against her mate’s. “I will think about it, okay? Now, please help me move our young a bit to keep them properly warmed.”

Ricen nuzzled his mate in return before opening his wings to fly up briefly and over one of his mate’s coils to land in the middle among the hatchlings to help nudge and move them to all be snuggled into their mother and gain greater access to her radiating heat.

Once all the young were in their proper positionings, Ricen curled in the very snug middle to be heated as well as provide his own heat to the hatchlings.

Heat was crucial to their best development as was plenty to eat and their parent’s love and devotion. It was something the cruel hunter did not seem able to grasp or listen to during his torture of them. Ricen was incredibly grateful not only for their rescue but also the resurrection of those lost.

-------------------------

Laura sat on Derek’s bed. Everything was so surreal. She was alive. Peter had attacked and killed her... and she was alive.

Although Derek had explained what all had happened, been happening, Laura still could not entirely wrap her mind around it.

When she’d been fighting for her life that fateful night, Laura hadn’t even put it together Peter was who was attacking her. It was just a damaged, mutilated feral wolf that came at her out of nowhere. It had all been so fast, so much!

Even though she knew she should feel angry, betrayed even at Peter having killed her, Laura felt nothing, still. She was alive. She’d checked in every way she reasonably could, but it still didn’t feel quite right.

She remembered dying, some of her last thoughts including worrying for Derek. Laura remembered rushing back to Beacon Hills over the vengeance spiral. She’d come back, afraid someone was going to draw attention to her and Derek, even to their practically dead Uncle. But no, it was their practically dead Uncle using the symbol. He was who sought revenge. That revenge, even in a way included her and Derek leaving him here, unprotected. She didn’t agree with the choices made on her Uncle’s part, but she understood.

Laura knew, logically, that she did the best she understood to at the time. She also understood that maybe she should be angry or even—more pointedly—feel guilty for leaving him, but she still felt nothing.

Was this how life was going to be now? No longer was it vibrant with pain and trauma from the loss of so much family, so many pack bonds ripped away. The memories were traumatic. Even semi-removed from it, she knew it had been too much. It had overwhelmed and sent her running in fear with Derek, the last family member she knew still lived.

She felt like she was alternating dragging and running circles in the dirt while getting nowhere. To be fair, Laura didn’t know where she’d go even if she were to straighten out her path to take one direction or another.

Laura knew she needed to get herself together, but even with trouble at their door in a sense, nothing seemed that pressing to her. She knew it was wrong, but for some part of her, the Hale Spark was in someone else. It was their problem.

As things currently stood, she was an Omega. She was alone in terms of bonds. Derek had been trying to bond with her, but Laura wasn’t really cooperating though she wasn’t mean or cruel, she hoped. She was just vacant, empty. She didn’t have the drive to pretend otherwise when all was said and done.

She was just floating right now it seemed. She spent a lot of time napping. She wasn’t tired, just empty. Officially she didn’t exist anyways, so why not just enjoy not being committed, not having a responsibility. She’d failed at it after all anyways, so let the human kid do it. Maybe he’d do better?

-------------------------

Alice stroked Derek’s arm softly as she read a police file while sitting on the couch-like bench beside Derek as he tried to power nap. She knew he may not feel how she did, but she was so grateful to have the support of a pack that did not think less of her for her lack of voice as well as felt like she was starting to fall for Derek.

Not willing to give up the truth just yet, Alice also knew that things could be complicated with what of Derek’s past that he’d revealed as well as that Alice wasn’t sure that she wanted something sexual. She wanted the soft touches, the consideration, and open dialogue despite her speech limitations.

Although she knew some of Derek’s past, like his family being burned alive by hunters, Alice knew there was more to that story. Not because he had said anything to that effect per say, but more because Alice understood that hunters always took more than one would ever share. There was always more. She knew it all too well.

Trying not to dwell too much on the negative, Alice focused a hint more on what she could hear. They were, after all, here to watch and guard Melissa McCall. Scott was there too, wandering around and ‘socializing’ while they were waiting for her to be done.

Mel’d worked the night shift and that led into the next day enough that the guard shifted essentially in a sense.

Alice was really hoping that when they got done here that she and Derek could remain paired together. He was the one who best used ASL and was also willing to notebook back and forth to conversate. She liked getting to know him more, and it provided a good distraction from what she was growingly seeing as potentially being some life-ending experiences.

In a weird way, this new found family situation was really highlighting how not family-like her original pack was. She’d thought things were wonderful when she was younger, but she’d spent a lot of time in her own mind and not seeing what else was going on around her. While she was not happy to be mute or to have endured the other tortures she had survived, Alice was grateful for this new pack, family. Was it weird? Yes, but she was cared for. There was support, food, and care: everything that she’d taken for granted before the hunters took her or just didn’t have whether she noticed it or not.

--------------------------------

After pulling her hair up into a ponytail, Ally had gone out the back door to help with the body disposal only to find that Stiles was already starting the process with Peter’s help.

Stiles was chanting to expedite the progress of decomposition of one of the bodies that had been stripped and placed in an old, abandoned flower bed in the back yard while Peter stripped the other body.

Allison looked to her dad who was watching the whole display coldly almost like he was a lookout.

Cora, on the other hand, seemed just bored sitting on the back step. “And why are we not just chopping them up to leave in the preserve? Isn’t that what Mom had you do, Uncle Peter?”

Ally looked at Peter to see his response to a violent discussion topic being volleyed so casually.

Peter, in just his jeans and nothing else (probably saving his clothes from being ruined), rolled his eyes at his niece, saying, “Yes, she did have me do it that way, but it was as offerings to the Nemeton. Now, that is no longer a wise choice if it ever was.”

Cora growled lightly.

Peter shrugged. “We gave offerings to put off its hunger without understanding. We did, after all, allow it to be cut down. Not the best move with a powerful magical beacon. Plus, with the fey involved in things of late, we do not need to cause them to read us as thinking we owe them anything. To owe a fey of any kind is dangerous, let alone one that has resurrected a chunk of the people currently considered pack or pack adjacent.”

Stiles chimed in, “Yeah, no need for more trouble. We already have plenty. Plus, these are offerings to the Nemeton as well, just in such a way to not accidently signal to anything or anyone else something we do not intend or want to. The Nemeton’s roots reach under most of Beacon Hills anyways, but we have the fortune—good or bad—of living on the side of town closer to the Nemeton.’

“Plus, with Issac at least semi-connected to the tree, having an offering location here with easy access for him can only do good as far as I can tell. On top of that, it’s good fertilizer for me to grow some of the harder to source herbs for magic that we may come to need at some point.”

Cora rolled her eyes, “But isn’t this wearing you out? You know, using magic and all?”

Allison wondered at that herself, adding onto it, saying, “Wouldn’t it make more sense to burn them to break them down faster?”

Stiles shrugged. “Maybe, but hiding a fire magically is harder than doing some low-level decop speed up. Plus, only have to go so far before the Nemeton will claim them.”

Ally rolled her shoulders then asked, “Do you need any help?”

Stiles shook his head no, and then pointed off to the side, “Not with the bodies, but it could be helpful for you to grab the wallets Peter set aside while stripping them to write down their info so we can make sure to fully clean up after ourselves. Chris may be able to help with that too.”

With a sigh, Allison moved to grab the wallets Stiles had been motioning toward. Once she had the Velcro sealing wallets, Ally moved to her Dad, saying, “Want to come with?’

Her Dad nodded, “Yeah, they don’t really need me here.”

Together they went in, leaving Cora, Stiles, and Peter to deal with the bodies and the Nemeton for now.

Ally walked to the dinning-room table where Lydia was to check in on her since neither Stiles nor Ally had been with her for a bit. Things were getting better on that front, but Allison didn’t want things to back slid due to thoughtlessness or recklessness on her part.

Making noise as she approached to avoid surprise, Ally came up to Lydia and hugged her from the side, kissing her cheek sweetly. Allison just wanted to show she loved her girlfriend as well as that the Banshee wasn’t alone or forgotten.

Lydia asked, “What’s happening with the Omegas?”

Ally shook her head. “Peter and Stiles are cleaning that up.”

Frowning, Lydia went back to what she’d been doing. “You’d think we’d catch a break to help us out after everything we’ve been through.”

-----------------

A while after the Omega’s bodies were addressed, Theo slipped into the back yard quietly in human form. He crouched down to sneak up to the back door and then slip into the house. He was in jeans, a dark t-shirt, and a faintly blood-stained tan pullover.

Trying not to bring too much attention to himself, Theo slid in to be as near to Malia as he could without getting smacked by her for creeping. He whispered to her: “They’ve left for now.”

Peter then seemed to notice Theo and was approaching.

Stiles wasn’t anywhere to be seen, but if Theo’s ears heard right the teen was upstairs with others looking through books and typing on computers.

Before anyone else could cut in, Peter just asked bluntly, “Where have you been?”

Malia sighed, rolling her eyes—oh how quick she’d learned—saying, “I told you, he was doing something I told him to.”

Peter perked a brow at her but didn’t say anything, just shifting his focus back to Theo as if to intimidate him into speech.

Theo swallowed thickly before forcing out his not-so-often, of late, voice: “I was keeping an eye on something. We should probably have Stiles here for this.”

The teen was careful to not make eye contact or be at all aggressive or challenging. He wanted them to let him stay. He needed Stiles in his life, and this was likely his last shot at it.

Peter frowned before stepping a bit back from the teens, saying, “Malia, would you please go let Stiles know he is needed?”

She got up and headed upstairs and out of sight.

Meanwhile Peter continued to stare down Theo as if the teen would morph at any moment or rip off a mask to reveal something vital.

Soon, Malia was coming back downstairs with Stiles trailing behind talking to Lydia.

Stiles looked to Peter, then seeing Theo, steeled himself.

Theo forced himself to stand up even as Malia moved to sit near him. Theo then said, looking at both Peter and Stiles, “The reason I’ve not been around today even with being ordered back in a sense, is because I promised Malia to keep an eye on things in the preserve. She and I noticed (last night?) a weird group of people in white robes out there. They seem to be looking for the Nemeton, but they’ve not found it. They’re trying to force it to reveal itself.”

Stiles growled. “And I’m only now finding out because?”

Theo made sure not to look anyone in the eye as he said, “I told Malia I wouldn’t leave until they did. They weren’t just normal. They smelled like a muted form of what Deaton smelled like casting.”

Working to keep from starting trouble, Theo waited for Stiles’ response. After a little too much silence, Theo snuck a peek at Stiles.

Stiles frowned, crossing his arms over his chest while he seemed to be thinking.

Theo then, knowing he had to wait it out some, sat down beside Malia.

Looking to Malia, Stiles asked, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

She looked at him, seemingly unimpressed. “The weird guy pointed out my name on you and it’s been a mind thing for me since. I cannot wrap my mind around that somehow some grandpa asshole hunter is why my twin and adopted Mom died.”

Deflating some, Stiles said, “I’m sorry. I should’ve been more thoughtful on checking in with you on that. It’s a mindfuck for sure. Just sorting my own mental minefield, I guess.”

Turning to Theo, Stiles said, “Did you see or notice anything else that could help us with these people in white robes?”

With a sigh, Theo was honest: “They made noises about trying to see if there were any wolf packs in the area. They mentioned that if the Nemeton was being cared for or was claimed by someone or a pack, it could be powerful enough to hide itself even from them.”

Stiles frowned harder, if that was possible. “That does not sound like it’s going to lead anywhere good. If you saw or smelled them around town would you recognize them?”

Theo nodded, barely refraining from poking at being treated like a hunting dog in a sense.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles, Peter, Theo, Malia, Cora, and Chris were out of the Stilinski house. Peter and Stiles were at Derek’s loft to check in on him and Alice while looking through some books that had been left there the last time they’d met up there.

Stiles felt like he was leaking research everywhere these days. It didn’t hurt though that this little adventure bought him time before having to tell Scott what Chris did with, Stiles’ blessing, to the two omegas that had approached them at school.

It wasn’t that Stiles thought he was wrong, but he did get that Scott had a more black and white moral code that was still adjusting to how reality worked when you had to face up to what had to be done to protect those you love. Plus, with how reckless the two were about humans, things would’ve been much more messy if they were let loose among the people of Beacon Hills. Stiles would not put those in his territory at risk over two omegas. He just couldn’t.

Additionally, this allowed a group trip.

First, they hit here to grab up the needed texts, then they’d go to Chris’ to load up on some weapons to fortify the Stilinski home to prevent future attacks more effectively than what was available during the two hunter attacks and pick back up Chris and Malia. After that, they would go to the local Chinese place to pick up lunch as well as Cora and Theo. Those two were there putting in the pack’s orders and waiting for them while keeping an ear and sniff out for possible enemies.

Stiles grabbed up what books he found that would be of use while keeping an eye out for the state of those here in the main area. He shoved the books into a backpack that he zipped up before pulling on. He had just gotten it secured to his back when Peter was suddenly standing too close, claws out ready to attack.

Looking to Peter, Stiles whispered, “What’s wrong?”

Before Peter could answer, Stiles heard the sound of claws carving into metal. It made his toes curl within his shoes. Refraining from groaning at it being just them, Stiles tightened the straps on his backpack so that it would be harder to rip it from him.

Peter put a finger to his lips before pulling Stiles tight to his back.

Taking the cue from Peter, Stiles didn’t say anything and did keep close, but he also mentally prepared himself for whatever may be coming their way.

A few too short yet too long moments later, the elevator started to lurch up.

Peter, keeping Stiles close, moved them to the loft’s door. Peter opened it to be able to see when the lift opened as well as whoever was coming.

Although he knew it could be someone who was not their enemy, Stiles also understood that the claws thing, and no phone activity in advance really didn’t bode well.

When the lift rose to their floor it was ripped open, two massive creatures wearing animal skulls and other animal bones and animal skins all over them emerged.

Peter growled, “Fuck!”

He corralled Stiles back some, but he left the front door open.

Stiles whispered in panicked speed, “What the hell are they?”

“In short?” Peter asked. “Berserkers. Imagine a ‘roided up bear with supernatural speed and strength, and there you go.”

Not sure what else to say, Stiles didn’t respond right away. Instead, he threw out mountain ash to protect the doorway.

Peter sighed—“Bad idea… it won’t stop them but it makes it so I can’t go out that way.”

Stiles groaned. He quickly pulled just a whisp of his inner spark to light the mountain ash on fire. He was careful not to let it catch the building on fire, but he hoped it might give the creatures pause while not cornering Peter and him, let alone the others.

Stiles quickly looked back, yelling to the Dragons within sight as he pulled out a small bag from his back pocket that he grew to the size of a messenger bag before saying, “Hurry—they’re coming!”

Nin seemed to hesitate, but Ricen was on it, quickly working to coral the hatchlings and get them rushing Stiles’ way.

Seeming to get it together, Nin lifted two of her hatchlings and got moving toward Stiles even though her eyes were flaming, daring the human to betray them.

As the Dragons headed his way, Stiles moved his hands, suddenly letting out a rapid recictation in Ancient Latin that swept up the Dragons, shrinking them and depositing them into the messenger bag Stiles held open.

Once they were in there, he spoke quickly, “Stay calm, I’ve got you. We’re taking you with us to somewhere safe!”

He then looked toward the back of the apartment, “Run, Laura!”

Neither the yelling nor the flames of the burning Mountian Ash mattered as the Berserkers walked right through the flames like they felt nothing. However, they did speed up in their approach.

Peter growled out—“fuck!”—before shoving Stiles to one side while attacking one of the berserkers, going for the eyes.

Stiles rolled with the shove into a tumble up to his feet a bit away. He then shoved his hand into his back pocket to pull out the whole baggy of Mountain Ash he had there. Using his imagination and will, Stiles shouted—“Jump!”

Without waiting to see who did as he asked, Stiles threw the whole bag of Mountain Ash out on the floor in a sliding motion, coating the floor as he light it on fire as it grabbed onto both Berserkers like nightmare hands with claws digging into the monsters.

Peter did jump and slide to the side of the situation in time to dodge the monstrous hands as he didn’t know how pointed the attack was from Stiles’ end.

Peter then wasted no time, turning on a dime and scooping up a visibly tired Stiles in a run before hauling him tightly to Peter’s body as he tried to shield the teen while throwing them both out one of the loft windows to land on the pavement in a roll as he yelled, “Jump… meet us at the car!”

They untangled in the roll, but Peter was quick to his feet nonetheless. He grabbed up Stiles again and dashed for Stiles’ jeep. He put Stiles in the passenger seat before climbing in the driver’s side. Peter grabbed Stiles’ keys from the teen’s pocket before slamming them into the lock to start up the junkie old beast before spinning out of the parking lot and onto the road as Laura jumped into the back seat.

Stiles came back to himself some while Peter was speeding them away. Coming back to himself enough, he asked, “Do you think they only hit the loft?”

Peter growled. “No.”

He sped up more, rushing to Argent’s house.

They pulled up in from the residence just in time to see Malia thrown through the front window of the house. She took it like a champ though and threw herself back into the house.

They could hear gun fire as well.

Peter bit out—“Stay here”—before hopping out of the still frunning vehicle to rush into busting through the front door only to be thrown right back out.

Stiles tossed off his backpack and got into his glove compartment for some more herbs as well as a P45 handgun.

Pushing his messenger bag into Laura’s hands, he said, “Guard this, please. The Dragon family is inside.”

Then, Stiles forced himself out of the still-running vehicle. He walked as quickly as he could to the door as Peter was already rushing back in.

Stiles entered to the picture of Chris down on the ground, still shooting at the two Bereserkers in the house while Malia was fighting with one and Peter was ripping the knee cap out of the other.

Stiles took his chance to shoot out the other knee cap three times over as he worked quickly to Chris’ side, asking, “Status?”

Chris grunted—“Winded, dislocated hip… nothing serious.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. He handed over his weapon to Chris before dashing out of the livingroom and down into the basement of his nightmares. He grabbed up a double barrel shotgun with some supernatural rounds for more than just werewolves. He also grabbed a couple flares. After stashing extra rounds into one back pant pocket and two flares into the other, Stiles forced himself back up the stairs with the loaded shotgun in one hand and his phone in the other already dialing up Derek and Ethan in a joint call.

Once the line picked up, Stiles dropped his phone on the kitchen table while saying, “We need wolfy back up at Chris’ place—we’ve got Berserkers. Come armed…”

He then rounded the corner into the livingroom as his lifted the shotgun and fired on the Berserker attacking Malia. Two shots into the creature, then he quickly reloaded and fired again. The recoil knocked him back into a wall, but he just reloaded again and started firing on the one attacking Peter.

Malia roared fiercely as the one she was fighting thrust it’s claws right through her.

At the same time, the back door slammed open. In less than five seconds Aiden, Kali, and Isaac burst into the livingroom, shifted and ready to go.

Stiles opened fire once again on a Berseker, aiming for the head, landing enough shots to leave a crater where the Bereserker’s face had been with brain matter leaking out and the animal skull he wore shattered on the ground.

While the shotgun was going off, Aiden charged past the Berserker being shot, clawing its side as he charged into the one Peter was dealing with.

Malia growled at the crumbled corpse as it fell over.

The other Beserker howled in pain just before Peter managed to rip off its head.

Then, the two more Berserkers threw themselves into the mess through the already broken front window.

Kali growled in rage, throwing her full body into one of them. She had no shoes on, attacking with all four limbs at once and she climbed one like a monkey might a tree, clawing the shit out of the creature every movement of the way.

Isaac, instead of attacking, moved to Peter, pulling him out of the battle in a sense to be closer to Chris.

At the same time, Stiles reloaded yet again and was firing on the Berserker Aiden was attacking.

Malia jumped back in, fighting the same berserker as Kali. Both woman were working to rip off limbs and whatever else they could get their claws into.

Peter forced himself back up, attacked the same Berserker that Aiden was while Stiles kept firing shotgun shots into the creature.

Isaac checked Chris’ wounds while checking with Chris on what was wrong. While others were fighting, Isaac popped Chris’ hip back into place.

At the same time, Chris grit his teeth and grunted to keep from screaming in pain at the experience.

Finally, Malia and Kali had managed to rip all the limbs off of the Berserker they were fighting in time for Peter to rip the creatures head right off of it.

Peter then slumped to the ground, exhausted, wounded, and covered fully in blood and other viscous materials.

At the same time, Aiden managed to shove both his hands deep into the other Berserker past the bones and armor to grip both the creature’s lungs and rip them out as Stiles fired two shots into the creatures head to break the animal skull mask and damage the head beneath it.

Once the body had collapsed with what remained of its lungs still in Aiden’s hands, Stiles moved to Peter’s side, asking rapidly, “What’s the worst?”

Lolling his head to the side some as he fell to the side, Peter grumbled, “I did really like these clothes.”

Stiles rolled his eyes while crouching down to get onto his knees. He set aside his weapon that he’d gotta from Chris’ basement in favor of pulling Peter close to check what was wrong beyond the guts of the Berserkers he wore.

As Stiles was touching and trying to sort out what wounds he may have, Peter’s eyes went all black as a smoker’s cough of a voice erupted from his lips: “His chest is slashed pretty bad, but more concerning is a deep laceration in his left upper thigh. We’re healing; it’s just taking a hot minute. There’s a lot of blood loss.”

Stiles growled. He hated it when any of them were hurt. He nodded, then said, “Malia, can you help Isaac to get Chris up off the ground and into a chair. Then go to the bathroom. You’ll find a first aid kit somewhere in there.”

Malia nodded. She scooped Chris right up while the older man grumbled about not being unable to help. She then took off for the bathroom.

Stiles helped set up Peter to be at least a bit more comfortable, asking, “How’re you doing Chris?”

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope that you've enjoyed the chapter!

**Trigger Warnings: Blood, violence, violent attack, body parts/organs, death, body disposal**

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

Chapter 12: Not Good News

Summary:

Wounds. Magic. Attacks. Scott. Rest. Tunstall.

Notes:

I hope this wets the appetite for some up coming surprises/reveals in the coming chapters!

**Trigger Warnings in the end note**

Chapter 12

The hunter grunted out, “Been better, but have been a whole hell of a lot worse.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Nogi, how’s the healing going?”

Peter’s head nodded as the Nogitsune’s voice emerged from betwixt Peter’s lips, “A bit slow on the chest, but the deep thigh cut it’s almost fully healed. We really need to eat… very soon.”

Stiles then said, “Aiden? Kali? How are you guys doing?”

Aiden grunted, saying, "Happy to get my claws dirty. It’s better than chores or research to say the least.”

Kali shrugged. “Fine. Dirty.”

Sighing, Stiles then remembered his phone. “Can I leave you and Peter here on the ground for the moment for me to grab my phone?”

Nogi nodded Peter’s head, “Sure.”

As he got up back onto his feet, Stiles began to look for where his phone landed.

It took a hot minute, but stiles was able to recover his phone only to find the screen cracked and the battery seemingly dead. He groaned at that, but he was grateful that everyone was mostly okay so far.

Stiles then said, “Do we know why we’ve got Berserkers coming out of no where?”

Aiden growled as he stretched his neck to the left side and then the right. “Sounds like it could be a Jaguar shifter. If I remember right, they can control Berserkers.”

Stiles’ head shot up. “Seriously?!”

Shrugging again, Aiden said, “Ask Deuc. He’s who taught us that such a thing can happen when a turn goes wrong. It was on the list of reasons he refused allowing us to turn betas for ourselves, beyond just consolidating power. That could happen, obviously bite rejection, and also some kind of lizard thing.”

“A kanima,” Stiles filled in with a sigh. Of course things were getting more complicated than simple. Of course. “Fuck, we need to deal with these bodies and story for when the police come down. There is no way people didn’t call 911 with the gun shots and the animal sounds.”

Peter’s phone began to ring the theme song from Cops.

Stiles was instantly alert as he was who put that ring tone on Peter’s phone. He felt up Peter to get his phone from the man and answered, saying, “Hello?”

“Stiles? Why’re you answering Pe—Deputy Hale’s phone?” Noah said.

Stiles frowned. “ Why’re you calling Peter?”

The sheriff groaned, “Do I want to know?”

Shrugging, Stiles responded, “It’d be better if I told you later. Why’re you calling?”

Noah sighed, “No, give the phone to Deputy Hale.”

Stiles rolled his eyes and put the phone on speaker before placing it near Peter.

Peter groaned, saying, “This is Deputy Hale. What can I do for you Sheriff?”

Noah said, “I’m calling you in. There was a break in at the McCall residence. The house was trashed and appears ravaged by animals as well. It’s pretty rough, but we’re all hands on deck. Your nephew’s loft is in quite a similar state.”

Peter sat himself up a bit straighter with one eye black. “Same for the Argent residence. I was driving by when I heard gunfire. I intervened or tried to. I’m in the process of interviewing Deputy Argent. He was the only one to get a look. I am also taking statements from the other witnesses.”

They could all hear a sigh before the Sheriff asked, “Is my son one of the witnesses?”

Peter looked to Stiles with a perked brow.

Stiles shook his head no.

Nodding, Peter said, “No, but you know Stiles. He heard chaos and came a running, but that was after I was on scene. He didn’t see anything, so he’s just a looker passing through.”

Sheriff groaned like they were trying to pull out his teeth. “Take his statement and any others looking at whatever has happened, and I’ll send crime scene to photograph and gather whatever evidence there may be.”

Peter said, “Will do.”

Stiles hung up the phone then, before sighing. “Okay, Chris we need to get you standing. Can Peter borrow some clothes?”

Chris nodded, forcing himself up to standing only to groan and bend over some, causing himself to bleed some through his shirt where he’s clearly been clawed.

Stiles growled, “Fuck…”

Malia got back with the first aid, setting it on the coffee table that was barely staying up-right.

The whole house looked like it had been ripped apart potentially starting before Chris or Malia got here.

Stiles grunted, “Chris, can you sew up yourself or do you need help?”

Chris grunted, sitting down on the ground slowly. “I got it.”

Although not so sure, Stiles still moved the first aid kit over to him. “Okay, if you need help, say so. We’re on a short time limit. Aiden? Kali? Can you two start moving the bodies out back? I can hide them, but I need them all out of here. Malia, can you help Peter get himself together?”

Stiles got moving, saying, “I’m going to grab some clothes for Peter then clean up a bit of the blood that belongs to Peter and Malia.”

He then headed upstairs, so overloaded as to not even think to ask for permission to go into Chris’ room. Stiles just did it. He dug about in Chris’ closet and dresser to pull out some things for Peter. Stiles tried to be careful and get only clean clothes that showed no signs of having been near Wolf’s Bane or anything like it since being washed.

He rushed back downstairs once he had the clothing.

Back in the livingroom, Stiles noticed that Malia was finishing up sewing shut Peter’s chest wounds. Trying not to throw up over the gore that didn’t bother him as much as it used to, Stiles nodded his head toward the kitchen—“Peter, when done, you need to wash up real fast in there and throw on these clothes.”

Peter nodded just as Malia finished up.

Stiles then said, “Malia, please go upstairs to Ally’s room and get some clothes for you and Kali to change into.”

Malia growled but went along with what Stiles had asked.

Stiles then went to the kitchen to clean himself up a bit before grabbing the cleaning supplies to cover up the blood of his pack from the house so that crime scene techs wouldn’t realize they’d all been there for the attack.

As Aiden and Kali came in from their last load of dead bodies, Stiles said, “Please come clean up, Kali. Malia’s getting you some fresh clothes. Aiden, after you’ve cleaned up, go grab yourself some clothes from Chris’ room. Be careful to stick to clean stuff.”

Once he had all of that out and himself cleaned up, Stiles went out back to deal with the bodies. He knew he had to be quick. As a result, Stiles stepped out and took a very deep breath.

Peter came out behind him without really being asked. The wolf touched Stiles and the Nogitsune flowed from Peter to Stiles.

With that done, Peter sat down on the back stoop to watch Stiles.

Welcoming the Nogitsune within him, Stiles raised his tired arms up into the air, palms facing the stack of dead Berserkers and their parts as he closed his eyes. He imagined himself connecting down deep into the earth to the Nemeton’s roots to let the Nemeton know where he was as well as what he sought, so the ancient tree could begin to lift some of its roots up from the soil.

While willing the bodies to decompose, Stiles used his Spark to speed the decomp as some of the Nemeton’s roots began to rise from the soil and grip the bodies and their parts that were breaking down and pull it all under the ground to feed itself.

Once it was all broken down and pulled under, Stiles made sure to restore the area where the bodies were to the previous state of things before dropping down to his knees.

Only Stiles knees never hit the ground as Peter was oh so suddenly there with an arm wrapped around Stiles’ waist.

Peter took on most of Stiles weight to bring them both back into the house where Stiles could be set on the livingroom floor for the moment while Peter began the bit of clean up needed since Stiles was in no condition to finish what’d started before going outside.

---------------------------------------------------

A few hours later in the McCall residence…

The livingroom window was busted in—presumably the entry point for the attackers—and the couch was ripped up like a giant cat had clawed at it even though it smelled distinctly not feline. The floors were muddy and bloody like there was a scuffle to say the least. Many of the picture frames in the room were broken and thrown around. Many of the drawers, in all of the house it seemed, were at least partially opened and riffled through.

It was currently unclear if anything was missing, but most of the furniture in the livingroom and Scott’s room particularly were damaged or outright destroyed. Some of their dishes were smashed as well as some decorative glass.

Almost like a hurricane there did not seem a distinct point or method to whatever happened here.

In the beaten down livingroom, Scott looked around with wide eyes: how could someone do this? He’d not invited this kind of trouble. He didn’t have enemies like others. Why did this happen?

He knew his mother was already quite heartbroken about this, particularly with the lack of answer to be had at this time as to why it occurred. Scott’s Mom had been taken to Stiles’ house by Noah not too long ago, but Scott had stayed under the premise of assessing if anything was missing or if this was more just property damage rather than theft.

Walking around slowly, working to stay out of the way of the last of the crime scene techs that were still there, Scott tried to hold himself together despite his wolf wanting to howl, growl, and mark its territory.

He at least had Derek and Alice with him to keep him in check in case he started losing it more openly. Scott really didn’t want to bother them or lose control.

What was he going to do with everything going on? Even if he was still an Alpha, he would have been no better equipped to address where the pack was than he was now as just a beta. Scrubbing a hand over his face, Scott forced himself as close onto task as was possible for him right now.

Taking that focus, Scott braved going up into his room to see the damage there. While nothing but a photo or two were missing from the livingroom, Scott found his dresser torn apart. A lot of his clothing was shredded or missing in action. That worried him just due to the scenting uses alone. He was also a bit heartbroken that his bed was shredded and broken down to scrap. His porn stash was fine oddly enough having not been touched even though his nightstand was destroyed and his old phone that he’d not gotten rid of yet was gone.

Looking through the piles of what now was essentially trash, Scott found some of his school work and noticed his old pictures of Allison were gone. The ones of him and Stiles as well as of Scott and his Mom were gone too. That did not bode well in Scott’s mind.

No money was missing, but there was none there to be missing. The tvs in the house were destroyed as was their landline phone. Thankfully his Mom had been at work whenever this occurred so her car wasn’t here to be damaged.

His Mom’s room appeared untouched and nothing smelled out of sorts, but Scott knew he should have—no—ask Stiles to do a run through to check for things Scott may not know to look for.

-------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, at the Stilinski home…

Stiles was laid out on the couch in his livingroom with no shoes on, but a t-shirt and sweats as he rested. Even with the Nogitsune’s help to keep him upright and appearing normal for giving his statement and the crime scene techs in addition to some other Deputies talking to him and with his Dad, Stiles couldn’t pretend anymore.

Although Stiles wanted to be researching, training, something… he was stuck laying on the couch while Peter was cooking up a storm. The older wolf even put Ethan, Aiden, Isaac, and Cora to work, helping him while Kali was on pain pulling duty for Stiles.

Kali literally sat cross-legged on the floor watching The Ultimate Fighter with one of her hands on Stiles’ wrist, pulling the black veins of pain while getting a daily dose in of rage through watching one person kick another’s rear while she made quiet comments about how she could do better.

Peter had Ethan peeling potatoes to then be passed to Aiden to cut them up while he was also cutting up other vegetables like carrots and bok choy. Isaac had been put to work stirring the two sauces going on the stove top. Cora was cutting up a pork rump roast into slats ready to be grilled.

Additionally, Peter was setting up two different baking trays. One was lightly coated with Olive oil with some lemon juice. The other had a grilling rack on it that was being prepared one slice at a time as Peter also chopped some herbs and pickled peppers and opened a small, obviously expensive, jar of bread and butter pickle relish.

He appeared to be going all out for dinner while he already had dealt out roast beef sandwiches once they’d all gotten back. Peter’d even convince Noah to let him go on a longer ‘lunch’ via the promise of him bringing back with him some roast beef sandwiches for him.

Stiles groaned out to no one in particular, “Where’s Ennis?”

Stiles knew Deuc was upstairs with Mel to help her change over the guest room for her to stay for a few nights and move himself into Stiles’ room as Stiles had suggested with their mates situation.

Even though he had no interest in Deuc as a sexual partner, Stiles still wanted to treat reasonably the reality of them both being mated to Peter in a sense. It would be a big change, but Stiles had agreed to give this all an honest to goodness chance.

Stiles also knew Adrian was with Jackson and Danny at school along with Erica and Boyd. Just like he knew Alice and Derek were with Scott at the McCall place and that Chris was with Lydia and Ally at the Sheriff’s station with Stiles Dad and Parrish. The old man was at Peter’s place with the Dragons and the fox kit was on Peter in a sling. But where was Ennis?

Kali finally answered when no one else seemed to either know have heard him. She said, “He left this morning.”

Stiles went to shoot to sit up, but he bent up a bit before grunting and falling back onto his back. He groaned—he really hated the hangover from pushing too hard to go too fast. He let out a shaky breath as Kali re-caught his wrist. Stiles asked, “Why’d he leave?”

Kali shrugged, saying, “He wanted some air. He didn’t think he would be at risk since he’s human now. I didn’t fight him—it would’ve killed him. He doesn’t surrender and no one beats me.”

Nodding as if he fully understood, Stiles followed up with, “Did he decide he didn’t want to join the pack?”

Kali shrugged. “It’s probably what he wanted to think about on his walk. Kind of hard to have privacy around a bunch of werewolves.”

Stiles nodded again. “True. I hope he’s careful. Right now is not a safe time to be running around alone.”

Peter came in with a sigh, clearly reacting to Stiles’ brief yet semi-dramatic effort to sit up. “You need to rest. Don’t make me force it.”

Stiles whined faintly before popping his neck. “Fine, fine… but we’re seriously going to work some of the kinks out of this decomp spell, or we’re going to have to do something else because staying down like this is driving me insane.”

Isaac squeaked out of nowhere.

Stiles tilted himself up just a bit to see why.

Tunstall had come in through the back door. With bruises on his face and blood on his knuckles, he looked worse than normal as he trudged in. He softly patted Isaac’s leg as he passed the teen. Not bothering with anyone else, Tunstall came all the way into the livingroom and around the couch.

The Leprechaun moved to Stiles and stood beside where Kali was sitting.

The short little man seemed to pull Kali’s attention away from the fight on the tv even for her to say, “What are you?”

Tunstall turned to look at her. With a sad sigh but a scent of interest, he offered her hand.

Kali took it seemingly out of surprise.

Tunstall took her hand and turned it, kissing her knuckles with a bit of a bow as though she could be a princess in a Disney movie before letting her hand go and responding: “I am Tunstall, and though you do not recognize it, I am a Leprechaun.”

Not commenting on the Disney-esce moment, Stiles turned his head to face Tunstall.

The stout man then said, “I am sorry Spark, but I do not come with good news.”

Stiles perked a brow—“Oh?”

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: blood, stitching wounds closed, break ins, dead bodies**

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

"Hands" by Stk(silasthekitty) in which Stiles is hiding his hands. https://archiveofourown.org/works/52849957

"Jagged Edged Mismatched Jigsaw" by TailorNorata in which Stiles shows up at Peter's door without warning. https://archiveofourown.org/works/52849381

"Close Quarters" by Stk(silasthekitty) wherein Liam finds Kira's underwear in Stiles' jeep. https://archiveofourown.org/works/4727558

"Out ofmy league" by katarama where Kira is a star laccrosse player. https://archiveofourown.org/works/5055841

Chapter 13: Building

Summary:

Fey. Moving. Laura. Meeting. Kit. Attack.

Notes:

I really hope this chapter was worth the wait!

**Trigger warnings** in end note

Tunstall continued: “I’ve noticed Levander coming and going through the Nemeton and bringing offerings and flower wreathes to places that implying he may be trading or giving service to the Countess or someone else. That is not a standard behavior to do unless you owe a debt or are making a trade. With everything that has happened of late between you and the fey as well as you and Gerard, I wanted ot say something. It could be nothing, but you need to be aware.’

“You should also know that there is pressure in the preserve. There are a group of Druids going around, looking for the Nemeton. They keep muttering about the balance and about where Deaton could be.”

Stiles groaned. “I appreciate your letting me know about these things. Would you like to stick around? I’m sure we have some honey cakes around here that you’re more than welcome enjoy.”

Tunstall shook his head. “Not today. I must get back. I’m helping others and the Nemeton to continue to keep it hidden. The outsiders are not welcome.”

Giving a nod to Tunstall before the Leprechaun headed out, Stiles then spoke up, “Peter? Can you come here?”

Peter returned, having slipped away before to allow Tunstall and Stiles to talk.

Stiles said, “Please help me sit up.”

Peter growled but did as asked, gently adjusting Stiles to sit up a little bit more.

Stiles then said, “We need to turn Danny today if we can and start prepping the house more thoroughly. Whoever sent the Berserkers doesn’t seem to know about my house yet. We need to be ready because it’s only a matter of time before they come here looking for trouble.”

Sighing, Peter nodded, but then added, “It may make more sense to move home base to my place. The dragons are there. This place cannot really be attacked again without putting more stress on your Dad’s career.”

Stiles sighed, then said, “True, but are you sure you want us all ruining your place with all our scents?”

Peter grunted, “I’d rather you guys spoil it than you dying.”

Stiles began to nod, but then had to stop. It made things go a little swim-y.

Peter popped out his phone, saying, “Once Deuc has Mel settled and himself and the twins moved, I’ll go with Kali and the fox kit to set up my place to account for added persons. It’s out of the way enough it shouldn’t cause too much of a sting. One if the keys will be Chris nor Ally coming back here after today. Same for Victoria.”

Stiles then growled—“Where is Victoria?”

He felt like he was too spacey of late and was losing track of things. Was his magic really taking this much out of him?

Gently touching Stiles’ shoulder, Peter answered, “She’s haunting Scott. The teen chose to stay alone his place a bit longer. Alice and Derek are there too, but without Scott’s knowledge so far she is in the house with him keeping an eye out both for him and any signs of hunters’ tricks in a way some others wouldn’t know to look.”

Stiles nodded slowly before asking, “Should my magic being making me this spacey?”

Peter shrugged, “You have been using it a lot lately, and the Nogitsune can only save you so much exhaustion. You’ve been going non-stop for a while now. Maybe a nap? I’ll wake you for food and when I’m heading out with Kali. Might even take Scott with me if he and the others are back by then.”

With a cautious and faint nod, Stiles agreed, saying, “Sure… and once your place is ready, we’ll have a pack meeting to update everyone and move homebase more actively tonight.”

Just then, Stiles and Peter’s phones went off with a text message. Peter grabbed Stiles’ phone and checked both of their phones. He then said, “The text says our next meeting with Noshiko will be had in the Highschool parking lot. It also says to bring the fox kit to prove it’s state of health.”

Stiles groaned. “Is it from Noshiko or Alpha Ilto?”

Peter looked at the phones again before saying, “Ilto. But I still am not so sure about taking the kit out. I do not want them at risk while other, bigger shit is going on.”

------------------------------------------

Peter drove himself, Kali, and for some reason Scott to his apartment downtown. It was a nice building with a parking garage attached. It was one of the few places nice enough in town for him to consider it a legitimate location for himself.

Peter parked in the parking garage and led both Kali and Scott into his apartment. Everything was silent as had been the drive.

Once in his apartment, Peter said, “Okay, Scott, stay in the livingroom and touch nothing.”

With that out there, Peter brought Kali with him to start moving things around. He knew that while he was in no rush to have a bunch of teens running around here like crazy, he was going to have to suck it up for their safety. Plus, maybe if the Dragons saw how dysfunctionally normal they were, perhaps they’d let Peter help them.

Thankfully, all of this worked well as distractions from his break down earlier. He was in no rush to repeat that.

----------------------------

While Peter was off with Kali and Scott to start prepping his place for the group to move operations there, Stiles was finally able to stand on his own and got to moving around, helping the others to finish off the food Petere had gotten started with help.

With much of the pack there, plus Allison upstairs with Alex and Henri Argent picking their brains in a sense, Stiles started talking with Danny who was doing some homework at the dining room table. “So, Danny, were you serious about what you said before? That you would like the become a werewolf again?”

Danny looked up from his chemistry homework—leave it to chem to put at risk throwing off his GPA. “Yeah, I want the bite again. The benefits are more than worth it plus you guys need the help.”

Stiles asked, “And you don’t mind my being your Alpha rather than Peter?”

With a scoff that was pure Jackson rip off, Danny said, “Might be weird, but so are you. And so is the supernatural. Seeing you and Peter interact, it makes a lot of sense why this works. It’s not like he’s not a part of this still.”

Nodding, Stiles said, “Fair, just wanted to check. No harm in making sure we’re all clear on what is going on. Do you intend ot let your parents in on all of this?”

Danny chuckled, “Yeah, no.”

Stiles nodded again, “I get it. Especially right now with all the crazy going on, I’d be in no rush either.”

Kira plopped herself down beside Danny, pulling out her homework, “So, what’s the plan going forward with all of this?”

Stiles answered, “Well, we’re moving home base to Peter’s place. But uh, other than that, next step is turning Danny here. After that is nailing down all the players in town. We need to deal with those weird druids in the preserve, get a better idea of Gerard and Kate’s locations as well as figuring out the La Loba and Calaveras situation.”

Kira nodded, “Excited for meeting up again with my Mom?”

Stiles sighed, rolling his eyes, “Should I be?”

Kira giggled. “Not really, I suppose. She has been asking me a lot about things around here.”

Nodding, Stiles asked, “What’d you tell her?”

With a shrug, Kria said, “Honestly? That it’s a bit chaotic, but it’s a big family you’re taking care of. Things get busy, and there is a lot happening with so many here being in High school still plus your Dad being the Sheriff. To be real, it’s much more steady and reliable than it has any right to be.”

Stiles chuckled. “I think that may be the first time someone considered any of this steady or reliable!”

Kira smiled. “What can I say? I bring revelations.”

--------------------------------------

The next day, at the High school…

In loose jeans and an oversized black t-shirt, Stiles sat in his history class, trying not to fall asleep. He’d been so busy with Danny being bitten the night before and doing more research that when paired with his magic use lately left Stiles feeling a bit run over.

With his lop-sided jaw and big puppy eyes, Scott sat a row ahead of Stiles but kept peeking back at him.

Lydia sat beside Stiles but seemed to be fully focused on their teacher at the front of the class who was drawing out on the white board the series of successions from Henry the eighth’s blood line with his many wives and three children.

Stiles refocused himself. Even if he wasn’t taking very good notes in class, he could work on the next steps for the pack. He knew they were counting on him to work this out. While he knew they worked together, he felt like the strategic element came down to him or him and Peter.

The pack was getting bigger, and Peter’s apartment, while lavish, was a bit tight for the pack—more so than Stiles’ place. However, they had to move stuff from Stiles’ place anyways for the inevitable search warrants that would come down the line for his Dad. McCall seemed on the fence about helping so far. He was at least somewhat in the know, but Stiles still wasn’t sure that the FBI agent had been fully let in on all that was going on. Add on murders and tones of hunters in town? Well, it was easy to miss the little details.

As it was, they all had to be careful about Chris and the other Argents travelling around to their home base and other places to not draw unwanted attention.

Thankfully, Chris had paid to rent a house locally for them to sit tight while not in their residence that was having to be repaired for a second time since reality was restored. Grit, Sam, and Rod were all staying there with Ally and Lydia too. Henri and Alex had quietly bowed out of joining their family members, saying they had a separate place to stay along with the third man in their party. Thankfully, they did leave a way to contact them with Chris and Ally. She’d taken copious notes on her discussion with them the night before, so there was plenty for her and Lydia to go over that might help them all.

Stiles tried not to yawn as Scott peeked back at him again. Focusing his attentions, Stiles made a mental note to ask Danny about looking ‘unofficially’—read illegally—into Gerard’s records to see if they could get any hard data on his resources and or location. The same for Kate, but it was a harder task on that one since she was legally considered dead.

That didn’t even touch on to their needing to set up an identity for Laura, but that would have to wait until after his Dad was done being investigated. Damn, did Stiles hate the supernatural and everything Stiles was tangled in messing with his father’s job. As it was, Stiles worried the man wasn’t getting even remotely enough sleep.

Stiles just wanted to bury his head in the sand and wait this all blowing away out, but he knew things just were not going to work out like that. They never did.

Rolling his shoulders, Stiles turned the page in his notebook to take a different kind of notes than the notes for the class he was in. Stiles began just writing out a to-do list for once school was done so that he could get things moving right away:

-Prep for meeting with Noshiko
-Pack up stuff to move to Peter’s place
-Prep house for warrant
-Start

Stiles was startled out of what he was doing by the bell going off.

-----------------------------

After school, Stilinski residence…

Stiles was in his room with a small cardboard box. He had the box sitting on his bed as he slowly packed it with sandwich bags of herbs, Mountain Ash, and other spell, magic ingredients. To do so, he was currently furrowing around under his bed, and pulling out the shoe boxes there where he often ‘stored’ things out of sight.

At the same time, Lydia was slowly packing a larger cardboard box with texts—both spell books and others that connected to either the supernatural or accumulated research overall. She was humming something that wasn’t quite a song, but no one asked her about it since she seemed contented with what she was doing.

Ally was sitting cross-legged on the ground in his room, writing in her own hunter’s journal that she’d taken to keeping not too long ago.

While it made some of the wolves—especially the Alpha Pack—uncomfortable, Stiles was glad that Allison could continue her journey toward changing her family’s direction, correcting what they’d become.

Stiles wouldn’t ever hold against her trying to right the wrongs of the past. He even hoped that with her help, he could correct the past habits of hunters in their dealings with packs and other supernatural creatures. Even with everything going on, Stiles still had some hope toward the betterment of the future.

Plus, honoring each person’s role seemed like a crucial aspect to respect inside and outside the pack. They needed to maintain loyalty and integrity. If this was going to be his life, then Stiles was sure as hell going to make it the best life for his pack, pack adjacent, and allies that he could.

Additionally, right now, they all were packing up and prepping the house for the inevitable search warrant that would come down the line eventually, so a lot of the ‘supernatural’ needed to move out of the house within reason. However, that also included moving some things in. Stiles’d had Chris get a larger gun case for his father and some more special bullets in a hidden compartment within the gun cabinet. Chris even got his Dad more registered firearms. The man was insanely thorough. Stiles certainly appreciated it.

At the same time that Ally, Lydia, and him were working in Stiles bedroom, Chris and his Dad were setting up the new gun cabinet in Noah’s bedroom as well as discussed doing the same at Mel’s house too. They were quite agreed of late about helping to make sure Mel could defend herself even if no one was nearby.

Everyone agreed that she should not have to go through what Stiles had initially in the unkind world in which they all lived.

Stiles perked up out from under his bed with the last shoebox, saying, “Ally, are you adding your notes from talking with Henri to your journal?”

Smiling, Allison nodded. “Yes, with his permission even. He was happy to hear that I was the current Matriarch for our family. We also got to talk some about our family’s relationship both past and present with the Hales.’

“Both Alex and Henri seemed proud of the direction I’m trying to steer us. It kind of added some sweet to the bitterness of everything that had happened since Alex was turned. They had been keeping an eye on things, but with keeping distance for Alex to go through turning and learning how to control while be at some level of peace with his wolf, they missed a lot of what all was happening here.”

Stiles nodded, sorting through the items in the shoes boxes to repack some into the box of herbs, etc while setting aside other things for Lydia to pack into the other, throw away, or just put out in the open. He’d moved a lot of stuff around in his room to make space for weapons and more.

As it was, Stiles had some items to add to his father’s gun safe. The justification was easy enough in that Stiles having been abducted and harmed was public knowledge along with his ADHD, so him feeling the need to have weapons for him in the gun safe was not out of the realm of what was reasonable. Plus, Stiles hoped to attain the glee of seeing cops in here unpack the gun safe to have to pull out some weird knives and such. He knew it wasn’t really that good a thing, but it still tickled him. As it was, he was including one of his novelty daggers from a renaissance fair when he was much younger.

Thinking of his weapons, Stiles paused what he had been in the middle of doing to grab a duffle bag from his closet. He placed it on his bed in one of the growingly few free spaces. He opened the bag up, knowing the bag itself and some of what it held was going to Peter’s place, but he wanted to pull out the things for his Dad’s safe.

Stiles selected out a couple of knives, his novelty dagger, and his plain baseball bat—the McCall special. He set aside his bat to be his ‘open carry’ household weapon for the officers to see and took the others to his Dad’s room.

Once in his Dad’s room, Stiles took stock of how far along Chris and his Dad were. So far, they appeared to have the weapons safe in place and a six digit keycode set as well as keys to use in unison with the keycode. They were currently placing weapons in the safe while seemingly debating their being one or two weapons pre-loaded.

Noah groaned, saying, “It’s not technically safe for a loaded weapon to just be laying around.”

Chris frowned more deeply. “It’s not just lying around. It’s in a safe for god’s sake.”

Shaking his head, the Sheriff continued, “I do not need to be seen as reckless. It could be taken wrong.”

Argent didn’t take that, saying, “Your house has been assaulted, on record, twice. Your son has been kidnapped, on record. You’re not being more weapons happy in defense of your home and only son would be weird. It would look reckless to not have the appropriate preparations in place after all of those things having occurred. It’s not like you’re some random person in Beacon. You’re the Sheriff. You’ve had threats made to your life as well as Stiles’. You should have some weapons ready for use on short notice based on recent history.”

Stiles took this opportunity to step into the conversation, saying, “Speaking of, I have some items to add to the safe. I also agree with Chris. It’s why I am leaving some of my weapons here in the safe as well as my remaining normal baseball bat laying against it. I agree that it would be weird if there wasn’t some level of hyper vigilance.”

Then, presenting his bowie knife, a set of matching wood-carving knives, and his novelty dagger with the handle shaped like a Star Wars Trooper, Stiles said, “These are the ones for the safe.”

Chris stifled a laugh at the novelty dagger, but he nodded no less. He said, “Good choices. Enough to defend, but not so much as to scream serial killer.”

Stiles rolled his eyes—“Really? Serial killer?”

Chris shrugged, “Something to keep in mind. The goal is preparation not murder-happy.”

Stiles furrowed his brows Derek-style: “I’m keeping that. Preparation not murder-happy.”

-------------------------------------------

Downstairs….

In fitted jeans and a soft green T-shirt that really brought out the green hints in his dark eyes, Danny was sitting at the dinning room table on a special laptop Peter had gotten just for Danny’s special skills. He was currently slowly working through the FBI database, looking for anything on the movements of Gerard or Kate Argent. The latter of course a harder hunt since officially she was dead, but anything in her name could be something she was using now, so he still looked. He was starting with the FBI, then branching out.

With his work cut out for him, Danny took the chance to enjoy that even with hard work, he was accepted as who he was for what he was. It was nice to not need to have secrets. Plus, with his packs’ scents all around him, Danny found his wolf far calmer even with some of the less friendly scents being stirred up as small wafts of what Stiles and them were doing upstairs occasionally floated down.

As Danny’s focus was hacking through systems to try and find possible breadcrumbs, around him, Kira, Malia, and Kali were pulling out and packing up different weapons Stiles had set up all around the house. Kali was mostly just the muscle carrying around the sealed boxes Kira and Malia were filling, but it was heavy work no less.

At the same time, Ennis was in the livingroom talking with Issac.

Ennis said, “I do not get why we’re going through so much work. We could just up and go. We’re wild animals. No need for roots. Kill what’s needed and move on.”

Issac sighed as if he were trying to reason with a child. “Perhaps for you, even human, but Stiles and others here have family to protect. It makes no sense to burn resources unnecessarily. Plus, once all of us are done here, food. What more could be better than food and time with people who care?”

Ennis rolled his eyes and began visibly counting out on his fingers as he began to list: “A good hunt, a fresh kill—”

Issac interrupted. “You’re missing the point on purpose.”

Just shrugging, Ennis replied, “You asked.”

Then, the older once-wolf moved to another box full of weapons. He used the packing tape to seal it up nice and secure before Kali took the box out to the truck Peter got from out of nowhere.

It was a real question sometimes how Peter was making things like that happen, manifest.

------------------------------

At the loft…

Derek was sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter reading a paperback novel. He knew they were all in the process of moving things around between the different locations to reset home bases. Officially, Peter’s place was the new pack home base, and Stiles’ house would be for Noah and Mel. Chris, Ally, and the hunter brothers would be at the house Chris was renting.

However, even with all the change, Derek was choosing to just read for a bit. Everything was stressful enough. He needed a break to keep his cool. Plus, Laura was in the loft with him even if she was napping on his bed again.

Alice came into the kitchen portion of the loft from the livingroom area. She seemed deep in thought, but Derek found that she often looked that way. She approached him, sliding a hand over his shoulder, lightly scenting him before setting the notebook they used to talk down on the counter.

She then hopped up onto the stool beside Derek’s and wrote in the notebook first:

How’re you doing?

Derek accepted the notebook from her when she was done. Even though he could talk, he wrote in response, as they often did when left to their own devices:

Tired. I do not like everything moving around. I do not want to change everything for Laura so soon after getting her back.

Alice accepted the notebook back, writing,

How is she doing?

Derek sighed and rubbed his face before responding in writing:

I don’t know for sure. She’s quieter than I am now. Don’t get me wrong—she was quieter after the fire, but not like me. She seemed to try to fill enough air for the both of us. Almost like she had to do it to make up for all the noise we’d lost and thought we’d never get back.

Alice looked at the notebook for a few minutes before she started writing:

Should we offer for her to come out here? Maybe it would be easier for her to write with us instead of speaking out loud? I mean, it’s helped us… maybe it would be worth her trying?

Derek sighed and nodded to her. He set down the pen and signed to her: I’ll be right back.

Alice nodded and stayed put.

Derek left the kitchen and his book with Alice like the notebook and pen as he headed to his bedroom.

Once in his room, Derek stilled himself to find some strength before approaching his bed and gently touching Laura’s shoulder.

Before Derek could touch her, Laura caught his hand as she rolled over to look at him.

Refraining from sighing, Derek said, “Hey, I’ve got something I’d like you to try. It might be … it might make things easier for you.”

Laura perked a brow but let his hand go and moved to get up from the bed.

Taking Laura’s actions as a yes, Derek moved to the door and opened it for her.

After they were both out of the room, Derek led Laura to the kitchen, inviting her to sit where he had been sitting beside Alice.

Laura appeared hesitant, looking back toward the bedroom door before sighing and sitting down like Derek sought.

Alice then, seeing Derek and Laura at a seeming stand still, turned the page in the notebook and began writing:

Hi, I’m Alice. I’m mute, so Derek and I talk like this sometimes. It can make ‘speaking’ easier when you have time to think and filter it out of yourself physically without having to give voice to it, especially if it’s something painful. Would you like to try talking with us like this? I promise that even though it may take a moment to get used to, this can be really helpful.

Then, Alice pushed the notebook over to Laura with the pen, motioning for her to read and ideally, take part.

Laura accepted the notebook but left the pen alone initially.

After several awkward minutes of seemingly no one wanting to be the one to make the next noise, Laua reached out and grabbed the pen.

After another breath or six, Laura began writing:

I don’t know that this will change anything for me. It cannot take back how surreal everything is. My younger brother is older than me. My Uncle is who killed me. And a human head of a mis-mashed pack has my family’s, my Alpha Spark. I don’t know how writing this makes anything any better or easier.

Laura put the pen on the notebook before pushing it back to Alice.

Whether things were written in good spirit or not wasn’t really a question. Laura looked as constipated with things unsaid as Derek often did.

Alice read what Laura wrote slowly, to make it explicitly clear she was really taking in what was ‘said’ before using the pen to respond, trying not to interrogate:

Does it bother you that you do not have the Hale spark?

Laura read the simple question, a faint hint of surprise on her face at the short bit of writing she got back let alone what the words said. This time, Laura was much faster to respond:

I don’t think so. I don’t feel much if anything, but I am surprised. Derek explained what has been going on, but it makes no sense… Stiles makes no sense. The pack makes no sense. I know literally the sequence of events, but it still makes no sense. Why am I even here? There is no ‘why’ to make sense of any of this for me.

With a hint of frustration, Laura pushed the notebook and pen back at Alice. Although Alice could see that Derek felt obligated to somehow help, she took advantage of Laura being this open to continue in a way that she may not with Derek directly. Alice in a sense was kind of an outsider to Laura it would seem.

Alice responded simply with:

Would having a ‘why’ to any of this help you?

Laura shook her head, accepting then notebook back and writing simply:

No.

Alice noticed the answer and pulled Laura without warning into a hug.

Laura froze at the sudden contact.

-------------------------------

Later, in the early evening before full darkness…

Stiles stood unnervingly quietly in the parking lot beside his beat-up jeep. He had the fox kit in a sling on him, under his black t-shirt he’d been wearing all day. However, he also had his bespelled, carved into baseball in a form of holster slung over his back as well as an open carry pistol holster at his hip with a loaded pistol.

Peter stood beside Stiles, also wearing a sling over his shirt. Inside the sling, it was a dishtowel wrapped up tight like a little fox kit.

Issac sat on the hood of the jeep with a sling on over his shirt with a Tunstall shape-shifted to a rabbit in it. The heartbeat inside would make it seem like the real fox kit was there in a sense.

Standing beside him on the other side of the jeep from Peter, Lydia wore a sling as well with some baggies of herbs and Mountain Ash in them that Stiles had packed.

With them was Deucalion, Noah, and Scott—even though others had wanted to come too. However, Stiles had insisted that Erica and Boyd stay at Peter’s place with the others so that there was a secure place to retreat to should they need it.

As it was, Peter and Noah were both dressed for their jobs. Law enforcement being attacked in public looked quite bad if things got out of hand, and they had to involve legal, above board, public means of action.

Chris pulled up his truck then. He got out, revealing he had his Deputy uniform on as well while Ally looked quite grim.

Deucalion leaned in close to Stiles, touching him for the Nogitsune to share between them for Stiles to know that Allison intended to play up her displeasure with the recklessness of demanding the fox kit be brought with so much happening in Beacon right now.

Stiles gave the faintest nod before refocusing on right in front of them where they could see Noshiko and Alpha Ilto approaching them with some others behind them.

Alpha Ilto spoke first once everyone was closer to each other: “I think that it would be best to start with showing the kit to prove you all are taking great care of the babe. I think if you can prove you’re doing well with the kit, I’m willing to consider backing your right to the fox kit over Noshiko.”

At that, Noshiko turned to look at Alpha Ilto, clearly having not been aware of that angle. “What? You want them to raise the kit to be evil?”

Shaking her head faintly, Alpha Ilto said, “I feel that the Nogitsune having yet to attack us or anyone else despite how long it has been loose should count toward them having things under control.”

Noshiko looked like she might spit bullets at that or jump into reasons why that was not necessarily the case, but then everything changed when a group of people in white robes entered the parking lot, walking toward them all.

Stiles grit his teeth, saying too quietly for non-wolves to hear: “This could be the druids…”

Alpha Ilto looked to Stiles at that. “Friendly?”

Stiles shrugged, “Don’t care if they are. I’m not okay with them intruding.”

Peter stepped up closer to Stiles, seemingly ready to defend.

Without using anything obvious, Stiles cast around both groups to disguise them from the possible druids with Tunstall’s help. Stiles was done beating around the bush on all of this. He knew it all came down to the Nogitsune versus Noshiko. That was the sticking point. It was hardly about the fox kit anymore.

But Stiles interrupted, “What would it take, Noshiko? Is there any version of this where you’d willingly admit that the Nogitsune is no longer a threat?”

Noshiko frowned.

Alpha Ilto looked at Noshiko.

Everyone was silent, looking at Noshiko. Everyone, it seemed, sought to know the answer.

Each of them also noticed that the persons in white robes seemed confused before moving to leave and walk away as if something unseen had changed.

While keeping an eye on the white robed people who had been approaching as they left the area, Stiles lost patience first about Noshiko. “I don’t think this is about the fox kit anymore. I think this is about the Nogitsune. You are more concerned with that piece of your past being over. And it is, but you’re not accepting that. He’s not coming for you. Not to surprise you, but he’s busy right now.”

Noticing the possible threat leaving it seemed, Noshiko narrowed her eyes. “I want proof he’s not a threat to my family or anyone else. And, I do care about the kit. I do not want anyone else hurt by things that happened in and or in connection to the internment camp.”

Stiles fought down a smile. Instead, he walked closer to Noshiko without fear even as everyone could practically feel the pack tense at Stiles’ back. The human Alpha flashed his red eyes, saying, “I can swear to the Nogitsune being done with you. Not to be rude, but you’re not worth it. He has family now. And, proof he’s not a risk to your family can be found in your daughter. Kira’s a part of this pack as is he. It’s never been an issue. Her joy is infectious like a flu. No one could dislike or have issues with her even if they wanted to.’

“But not hurt anyone else? No, I cannot promise that. I refuse it. We’ve got some people to hurt. We have people in the area who are killers that need to be dealt with. People who are out of the realms of the common person’s ability to address.”

With a clear concern about how the persons in white robes just left without any clear cause to make them do so, Ilto interrupted then, asking, “Are you saying you seek to hunt other creatures?”

Stiles turned to look at her, flashing his eyes. “I am not a hunter. I do not hunt. I defend.”

The older Alpha did not seem comforted by that, but Stiles could only care so much. He was here for a reason. He looked to Noshiko. “Are you saticfied?”

Noshiko seemed a bit taken back by so blunt an experience, yet also somewhat more open with the transparency. After a breath, she said, “On the point of the Nogitsune, I am satisfied for the time being. On to the issue of the kit. May we see the proof that the babe is being properly cared for?”

Alpha Ilto stepped closer to Peter, expecting him to have the kit.

All three of the people who had slings on moved forward, but Stiles held up his hand, causing them all to pause.

Stiles then said, “Deuc, can you empty Peter’s sling so he may help me?”

Deuc nodded, “Surely.”

The Demon Wolf moved to Peter, removing the rolled dish towel as he gave Peter a kiss on the cheek to transfer the Nogitsune back into Peter from where the Nogitsune had been stashed for just in case shit burst into violent chaos.

Noshiko tilted her head just faintly, saying, “You impress me, Alpha Stilinski. You hid the Nogitsune’s current host to protect the true host and the Nogitsune. Did you think things would turn violent?”

Stiles gave a shrug. “I’ve learned to be prepared. People don’t all play by the same rules. Plus, the supernatural tends to come without rules. Kind of have had to make my own, including family first.”

When Peter moved closer to Stiles, Noshiko asked, “So which of the slings actually has the fox kit?”

Stiles smirked. “Wanting to guess?”

Noshiko looked around some before returning her gaze to Stiles, “Surprise me?”

Stiles smiled.

Peter moved to Stiles, hugging him close from behind. He kissed Stiles cheek before lifting the front of Stiles’ shirt to reveal the fox kit. Peter scooped the babe out of Stiles’ hidden sling and slid the kit into his own sling.

Noshiko smiled. “You are your own kind of fox, aren’t you?”

Stiles shrugged. “Since I don’t plan to take the bite, I guess we’ll never know for sure.”

Kira giggled from behind her Mom.

Noshiko turned to look at her daughter, perking a brow, “I didn’t realize you came with us…”

Kira smiled. “I didn’t. Stiles asked me to come. He wanted to make sure there was someone trustworthy to protect you.”

Turning back to Stiles, Noshiko asked, “Protect me?”

Stiles explained, “There are lot of hunters and other dangerous outsiders in town. It’s part of why we came even with short notice. We wanted to show you the courtesy of letting you know what was going on if things went well in this meeting.”

Noshiko moved closer to Peter, gently sliding her hand into the sling he wore to check on the kit, saying, “But why would that mean I need protecting?”

Stiles further explained, saying, “We’re being watched. Meeting with us puts everyone here at risk. As a result, I made sure we were ready to protect whoever came, even without knowing how many people you may bring with you. There are multiple hunter families in town as well as La Loba, whoever that is as well as Berserkers. It’s no time to be foolish.”

Alpha Ilto asked, “Did you intend to tell me even if this meeting did not go well?”

Stiles was honest. “It depended on if you or your pack hurt any of my pack. We’re family. They come before manners or fairness.”

Noshiko asked Peter gently, “May I hold the kit?”

Peter looked to Stiles before answering.

Stiles gave a faint nod.

Peter said, “Yes, but know this is a leap of trust that will not be offered again if you mess up.”

Hearing the threat Peter didn’t verbalize it seemed, Noshiko nodded, scooping out the fox kit. She gently held and nuzzled the babe, saying softly both to the kit and to Peter, “Such a sweet kit. Their putting on weight at the right pace they should be based upon your age estimations.”

Peter rolled his eyes even as one eye went black, “Thought we’d mistreat someone so innocent?’

Noshiko seemed to almost flinch. “I sometimes forget that things are not so black and white in our world.”

Peter nodded, seemingly knowingly.

Stiles then said. “You guys are gonna want to be careful leaving here. We think we’re being stalked by a few different situations and persons. Don’t let them catch you out.”

Alpha Ilto asked, “Do you have any idea who some of these persons or ‘situations’ as you call them are?”

Stiles nodded, “Yes and no. We know there are magic users—possibly druids—in white robes roaming the preserve, like those we saw early into this meeting. We also know that Kate Argent as well as Gerard Argent are in town along with a shit ton of hunters.”

------------------------------

Meanwhile…

Victoria sat at the table in the house Chris had rented for them all while the other house was repaired. She’d not seen the damage done this time, but she knew it would be costly like the other time she’d also not seen.

She knew she’d need to keep adjusting. As it was, hearing every little bug around her was a LOT to handle. However, her meditating with the Rod, Sam, and Grit had really helped both the human and wolf parts to work together and move toward peace.

The wolf within was strong willed—just like Victoria. They were also fiercely protective of their daughter. It was strange though, learning all that she had so far since coming back. Allison not liking boys as much as she liked Lydia was something new.

Victoria could not entirely fault her daughter. She had excellent taste in choosing a formidable partner. Lydia was no Christopher, but really, Allison was as much a soldier as a leader. The two appeared, so far, to work well together.

It didn’t hurt anything that deep inside, Victoria had a burning drive, a rage at what Gerard had done to his own granddaughter. While Victoria did tend to agree with the best defense being a good offense, hence why the Argents were a desirable family to tie herself to through marriage, she also aligned with the Calavera’s family first perspectives. Part of why Victoria had chosen Christopher as a partner was that she could lead, and he was a surprisingly caring and nurturing man who could help foster a really feeling of family. It was the best part of him, that care, to her mind.

She tilted her head, looking up to the ceiling, considering if Christopher’s love for her was the only reason he helped her kill herself. She knew he loved her. He had always been soft like that. She liked it. Although Gerard had treated Christopher as the black sheep of the family, Victoria found value in that sweetness of his being able to be soft still. His compartmentalizing skills quite profound and worthy of admiration.

She wondered if Allison had skill in that area. Victoria would have to ask.

However, all of Victoria and her wolf’s thought froze as she heard in the distance the sound of combat boots crunching down grass and shrubs. She took a slow breath before shooting up. She didn’t use words as they could be being listened to depending on if this was Kate and hers.

Victoria wasted no time, dropping the magazine she had been fake reading while she thought about moving up to the second floor of the rental house. She ran up and grabbed Rod by the arm, pulling him along with her after signaling him to be quiet.

Quickly, Victoria managed to get them all down downstairs, crouched behind the kitchen counters to touch base with a plan before breaking up as appropriate.

Rod flashed a radio he’d grabbed along the way. He turned it on, surfing the waves to see if anyone was trying to communicate that way.

He kept flipping channels until suddenly there was an active one:

“Hurry up. Make sure to close the laces.”

Rod tilted his head.

Victoria sighed. “It means we’re pretty much surrounded. Okay, so that means hunters, not Kate. Rod, you’re still a hunter, loyal to their beliefs. You’ve been trying to convince your brothers to do the ‘right’ thing about the werewolf bite. Grit attacked, you’re going to shoot him. They’ll drip some blood but the trail will run dry cause they’ll double back to hide in the house. Rod, you and I will be captured though”

Rod looked ot his two brothers—“You okay with this?”

Sam and Grit held hands and nodded.

Victoria then said, “Okay, I’m going to go upstairs as though this caught me by surprise. Rod, shoot him in the shoulder with Wolf’s Bane laced bullets. It’ll hurt and bleed a lot, but he’ll live. Fire at least three times. Start in the livingroom and run out through the back, breaking through a window if needed.”

Grit nodded, “Then we’ll double back and hide under the house. I noticed a nook underneath the day before yesterday.”

Victoria nodded. “Good luck. Be strong. Rod, you’ve got to sell it. Be cold and violent. It’s what Gerard likes.”

Once Rod nodded, Victoria was up and rushing to be upstairs to be ‘caught by surprise’ with Rod firing on his brother’s.

Shortly after, she heard three shots in rapid succession. Aware that she would be a higher prize, Victoria made sure to rush out of the house on the opposite side to Grit and Sam. She even winked at Rod as she passed him.

He seemed to get the message as he switched to firing on her.

Victoria did her best not to get hit as he was doing it for real. She knew he would, knew he had to. Plus, she was likely easier for him to shoot at than his own brothers.

Victoria burst out of the side door of the house despite originally aiming for the front door, but Rod was too good and blocked that route. It probably helped to throw off the hunters potentially from detecting this being planned.

She then took a good strength punch to her face out of no where. Falling on her back, Victoria forced herself to scurry up to her feet as rapidly as she could to run before she caught a bullet in her back. Based on the burn, it had Wolf’s Bane in it. But it hurt more than just wolf’s Bane should, or so she thought as she lost consciousness.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: referenced internment camp, blood, violence, weapons, combat, being chased, bullet wounds, children attacking/hurt**

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

Chapter 14: Catch

Summary:

Blood. Watched. Victoria. Name. Regrouping. Hunters.

Notes:

I hope you all enjoy that this is a longer update!

**Trigger warnings** in the end note

Victoria burst out of the side door of the house despite originally aiming for the front door, but Rod was too good and blocked that route. It probably helped to throw off the hunters potentially from detecting this being planned.

She then took a good strength punch to her face out of no where. Falling on her back, Victoria forced herself to scurry up to her feet as rapidly as she could to run before she caught a bullet in her back. Based on the burn, it had Wolf’s Bane in it. But it hurt more than just wolf’s Bane should, or so she thought as she lost consciousness.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Twenty minutes later…

Stiles was driving the jeep up to his house only to stop the vehicle in the street in front of his house. He threw himself out of the vehicle, not even thinking his actions through—thankfully he did not have the fox kit on him.

Rushing forward, Stiles got into the driveway in time to catch a collapsing Grit who was covered in blood with a tear-streamed face and who was hysteric. He was sobbing and whining and muttering to himself. Something was very, very wrong.

Stiles gently stroked the side of Grit’s face, mumbling comforts and platitudes as he wasn’t sure quite what else to do at the moment. Absently, Stiles vaguely heard the sound of a howl as he tried to soothe Grit who was making no sense at all.

Then Stiles felt his phone going off in his pocket. With shaking hands, Stiles was able to pull out his phone and shove it into the hands of someone standing near him. It was all just sudden and gory. Stiles hadn’t expected to come home to this.

He thought they’d avoided the blood and guts with Noshiko and still had time to sort more things out. As it was, they were keeping the fox kit and Kira was going to learn more about being a Kitsune from her Mom than before.

It had all gone well. That should’ve been the sign that something wasn’t right. Coming back to himself some, Stiles pulled Grit a bit closer despite the blood and listened to Peter’s voice.

Peter said, “And left what? Di—was there anything else?”

After a short seemingly forced paused, Peter said, “Screw it, head for Stiles’ place. Yes, I know the attention it could attract, but it’s the safest option right now. We’re not staying, just meeting up.”

Then was the slid of a phone going into Peter’s tight pants pocket.

Peter then spoke quietly but with a growl in his voice, “Move. We need to get him out of sight. He’s covered in blood, and that’ll bad for your father.”

Stiles nodded, releasing his hands from around Grit just as Deuc hefted the boy up into his arms.

Peter then scooped Stiles up to pull him out of the drive way in time for Scott to drive Stiles’ jeep to park it in the Stilinski’s driveway right next to the Sheriff’s cruiser.

Stiles waited until the jeep was off and Scott had climbed out to grab his once brother by the shoulder. Gripping Scott tight, Stiles leaned forward and whispered to him: “Go tell my Dad what is going on. Do not leave his side until myself, Peter, or Chris come to relieve you. Got it?”

Scott nodded, looking worried but did not talk back.

Stiles leaned into Peter a bit more as he was hustled to cram into Derek’s Camero with the others. Peter stayed behind with the promise to meet back up with them later as he gave Stiles a gentle kiss on the forehead for the Nogitsune to add for the Alpha, ‘We’ll meet at my place. Don’t say things out loud. We’re being watched.’

Stiles got into the vehicle to hear Derek ask, “Where to?”

Shaking his head, Stiles said, “Just drive. I want to rest my eyes.”

Stiles hoped Derek would know something wasn’t right. But they’d see if Derek would try to lose whatever, whoever was hanging around.

After that, Stiles looked to Grit, asking Deuc quietly, “He okay?”

Deuc did a hand motion to indicate so-so.

------------------------------

After the packed Camero was out of sight, Peter took back out Stiles’ phone. He texted the Sheriff:

This is Peter. Stiles is okay. Your house is being watched. Be very careful. Take Scott with you everywhere unless your son, Chris, or myself are there in person saying it’s okay for tonight at least.

Not long later, Chris drove up to the Stilinski house. He parked on the street in front of the house, but he did not get out of the truck.

Peter walked over to the vehicle and around to the driver’s side to see Chris white-knuckling the stearing wheel.

Sighing, Peter walked back around the vehicle to open the passenger door, letting Allison out. He flashed one red eye and one black at her, tilting his head in question.

Seemingly getting the idea, Allison hugged him closer.

It was surprisingly easy to accept the contact even with the intended usefulness of it because he’d grown to view her as a child—or at least as having been a child. That now she was grown and had learned better.

It was not all water under the bridge for them, but she was not his enemy. He was not hers either.

Peter let the Nogitsune slid partially into her through the hug to ask her to go into the house to be with Scott, Mel, and the Sheriff, possibly for the night.

Allison let him go and headed into the Sheriff’s house.

Peter hopped into the truck. He didn’t say anything right away. He just sat there, letting the silence breath between them. It was heavy but the silence slowly was unwinding everything going on.

Chris finally broke the silence. “I called it in. I told them to go straight to Deputy Parrish, not the Sheriff since it may be the same people who roughed up Mel’s place.”

Peter nodded. “Did you leave him?”

Christopher’s eyes hardened.

Peter didn’t press. Instead he said, “would you like to take a walk?”

That seemed to surprise Chris some, causing the man to look over to Peter like he was insane.

Peter just shrugged. “Thought you might want a chance to clear your eyes.”

Christopher turned away, saying, “I think I’d rather sleep.”

Peter nodded. “Want company?”

Chuckling despite himself, Christopher said, “Leave it to you to take the sails out of a very serious situation.”

Peter shrugged. “Somone has to add something to relieve the stress to what is happening. You’re too close. I can carry this.”

Chris perked a brow at the Hale. Both of them casually not mentioning Peter hysterical breakdown before.

---------------------------------

Meanwhile…

They were all driving all over town in Derek’s Camero, trying to lose the eyes Peter had noticed.

Stiles finally broke the quiet, saying, “you know, music could cheer this up.”

Derek furrowed his brows a bit more than they already were, saying, “Nothing is going to cheer up being followed.”

Frowning now himself, Stiles asked, “They’re still on us?”

The wolf nodded, “Yes, and its more than just those from your house.”

Stiles growled. “Are you f—….. can we not catch a break?!”

Derek said, “Do you trust me?”

Clearly concerned, Stiles said, “Yes, what’re you thinking?”

Rather than answer Stiles directly, Derek said, “Everybody duck down and hold on tight.”

With that said, Derek put his foot down hard on the gas, weaving out of the tiny bit of traffic to go into the warehouse district. Here, he began weaving in and out and around different things, including into and out of open or abandoned warehouses to throw off and lose the two vehicles they’d not already lost.

-------------------

Victoria woke to a buzzing she knew all too well. She’d heard it many times as a hunter, but this was the first time to electricity was coursing through her own body. She did not open her eyes right away.

Her wolf was quiet within but not silent. The wolf was not huddled and whining, not scared. No, it was angry. It was angry at Victoria, at hunters overall, and the wolf was oh so ready to shred these people who were all just like the people who hurt their child. Worse, yet, they’d infiltrated her den: not once, not twice, but three times now.

Together, they could hear four hunters in front of them. One smelled faintly like Christopher, causing them to think it was probably Gerard. If that was indeed the case, that meant the rest were lackeys. None of them were Rod. She wondered how he’d faired.

Oddly enough, Victoria found she was okay with her wolf being angry. Victoria was angry. Pretty much angry about many of the same things. Unable to help herself, Victoria smiled as she opened her eyes to look at the hunters before her.

Gerard’s grin faulted before he seemed to shore it up.

Victoria always knew he was a sexist ass, but it was strangely sweet to be intimidating to the hunters even when wounded and being electrified. She even noticed Gerard’s flicker of hesitation; the hunters with him took a visible step back from her at the same time.

She wasn’t crazed, wasn’t showing pain. Victoria was herself through it, which it appeared to terrify in a lot of ways, especially as, based on their reactions they would not be oh so happy when she flashed her eyes eventually as they were not blue. The few hunters who turned and tried to live as wolves ended up with blue eyes full of regrets. Hers had not changed to blue with guilt. No, they were vibrant, near red with her inherent rage even without being in situations like this. Who was to say? Maybe she’d get a chance to rip up a few bodies to also not feel bad about?

Victoria did know that her wounds had been treated and healed. It meant this was going to be a longer stay. They weren’t going to kill her out right. She had a use to them, or at least to Gerard.

The geriatric was looking much older than when she’d last seen him. Gerard’s veins were darker than they should be, like a bite rejection that was paused part way through. Additionally, he had a belt pulled tight around his left arm up near the shoulder as though he was trying to stop himself from bleeding out, but he was not wounded. Beneath were the belt was secured visibly too tight, Gerard had a Kanima arm, claws and all.

It would seem the price of Gerard coming back included at the least some complications from the things that she assumed had killed him, not that she knew for sure. Victoria had died before him after all.

She did enjoy her wearing resurrection better than him. Victoria didn’t even have scars from her attempt and Christopher’s success killing her. It would seem her price was the wolf. Her price was having to come to peace with that which she hated, but she understood now that monsters were on a wider spectrum than she’d previously considered.

Victoria had thought in black and white: human and non-human. In reality, there was so much more out there. That so much more as well as what she knew could range in their place within the structures and spectrums of experience and allegiance. However, even with that knowledge, she did not have blue eyes as she saw no point in looking back and judging yesterday by today’s knowledge.

------------------------------------

Later, at the Stilinski residence…

Returning from having investigated what occurred at his rental, Chris walked in through the front door even though originally Stiles had intended for both Chris and Ally to stay away to discourage Kate or Gerard from attacking here, but right now that was a slightly lower priority. At least for Chris right now. He’d just gotten Victoria back in a way he never thought he would, but now she was gone again?

Would the world ever cut him a damn break?

Sheriff Stilinski, Noah, was sitting at the dinning room table, right where his son often did when researching or planning the next step forward.

Peter followed in behind Chris and moved to stand beside Noah, “Everything okay?”

Noah shook his head. “Not especially. I’m glad you guys cleared stuff out of here. While you all were dealing with Noshiko a search warrant was served and carried out. But something was not right. There was way too much focus on Stiles’ bedroom. They also took hair samples from all over the house.”

Peter growled. “Is there any reason they legally would need hair samples?”

Noah shrugged, “Only if they were trying to connect it to a crime, but the search was strange… I know it happened, but it’s a bit fuzzy around the edges for parts.”

Peter then growled deeper, openly raging.

Christopher came up beside Peter, setting a hand on the other man’s shoulder. Chris then explained. “That doesn’t sound like a straight forward search. We need to call Stiles and Agent McCall. If he’s not fully in the know yet, he needs to be brought in on it. Is Mel upstairs?”

Noah nodded. “Yeah, she was really confused about why they wanted to search the guest room she’s in even though the warrant didn’t mention it. Then she needed a nap…”

Beginning to frown hard, Noah looked up to Peter and Chris asking, “Did they use magic on us?”

Christopher hesitated to answer.

Peter didn’t seem to feel the need to be so polite and gentle. “Probably. Mel needs to come down here, and we need to make the calls Chris mentioned.”

Then, Peter pulled out his phone and dialed up Stiles presumably.

Noah nodded, getting up and heading upstairs.

Scott passed him on the stairs, heading downstairs and directly to Peter. The teen didn’t speak right away as Peter had his phone out.

Christopher popped his neck briefly before moving to Scott, saying, “We need you to call you Dad. Say whatever you need to get him down here as soon as possible.”

Scott nodded, pulling out his own phone to probably do as told.

While not exactly standard before the reality switch, Scott had become more acquiescing to people that Stiles appeared to trust and or respect.

Soon, Peter was moving to grab the Sheriff’s laptop. The wolf pulled it out and step it up on the computer table. It appeared that Stiles may be giving him instructions including but not limited to his father’s computer password.

While Peter was setting up whatever he was doing, Chris moved to Allison, asking, “Can you do a sweep through for anything out of place, especially in Stiles’ room?”

Allison nodded before leaning in to whisper, “Sure. Please be careful.”

Chris nodded too, but he found it an odd warning.

Peter then said, “Okay, gotcha. Gonna hang up.”

After Peter ended the call, he turned to computer around to show Stiles.

Stiles said, tiredly, “Okay… I’m going to wait until all of you are here for the update.”

Chris nodded, but added, “Allison’s doing a sweep through of the house to do a quick look around to see if anything is notable different or perhaps gone. Your Dad, I mean Noah, said they took hair samples from all over the house.”

That made Stiles growl audibly. The teen looked pissed, his eyes almost flaring with fire it seemed before everything was back to normal as if nothing had changed.

Once Noah and Mel were back downstairs and sitting at the table, the latter looking somewhat zoned out but otherwise okay and Allison had made her round and returned to them and Scott was off the phone, Stiles seemed to settle. First, he said, “Update?”

Noah started, saying, “The search warrant was served and carried out while you were with the others seeing Noshiko; however, there are fuzzy parts of it. They focused a lot on your room. Even forced the issue of searching the guest room where Mel was. She tried to refuse, saying something about the search warrant not including it. Then my memory gets fuzzier, and she went to take a nap. I literally just went and woke her from said nap. Chris and Peter both are behaving like things weren’t right, and I’m wondering if it’s magic.”

Stiles nodded, clearly thinking.

Scott followed up, “I’ve called my Dad, and he is heading over. Chris said it was time to let him fully in on things if he’s not already. Is that okay?”

Stiles sighed, “We might as well. Keeping him out, especially after the false reality situation and his remembering at least some of it, would be unwise. I know he’s been at least partially updated, but we’ll need to more fully include him now.”

Scott nodded.

Seeing Scott’s reaction, Stiles followed up with praise, “and thank you Scott for double checking with me before sharing anything.”

Ally then said, “Yeah, nothing appears to missing or out of sorts per say, but your room feels weird to be in.”

“Like your being watched?” Stiles asked.

Ally shook her head, “Not so much watched, but like a trap waiting to be triggered. I can’t see or sense anything being outright wrong, but it just feels like that.”

Stiles nodded. “I guess it’s my turn to update. Rod betrayed us. He’s working with Gerard. Has been. He’d been forcing Sam and Grit to keep quiet. I’m not sure how. Grit is pretty messed up. Sam may be dead, but he’s not sure. He does know that Rod shot Victoria and that the hunters took her. He ran and didn’t stick around to see what all occurred.”

Chris nodded, saying, “They killed Rod. He’s dead at my house. He must have no longer been of use or somehow Sam got him, but he’s no where to be found. He might still be alive, but I hesitate to be sure on that front.”

They could hear Grit whine on the other side of the video chat.

Stiles coo’d softly presumably Grit who remained off screen. Stiles then said, “Okay, well, we’re working on a possible micro pack situation here since Rod was unintendedly Grit’s Alpha due to their dynamic as brothers. I want everyone to stay out of my room until I’ve been able to disable whatever they may have done in my room to catch or harm one of us. It’s probably someone who sleeps there, so Peter, Deuc, or I are the most likely options depending on whatever their source or sources of information are. Bring Agent McCall in on things when he arrives.’

“Chris and Ally, please let Alex, Henri, and their friend know what is going on. Don’t have them go to my place. Just inform them. Peter, please stay there with Chris and the others. Everyone there should stay at least overnight. Also, please call in for Mel. She shouldn’t go to work. Do you need us to send food over?”

Peter shook his head, saying, “I’ve got everyone covered on that. Do you have Derek, Cora, and Laura with you?”

Stiles nodded, saying, “Yes, I do. They are here and I will protect them and everyone else in our pack. Everyone, even pack ajacent should be here or with you if they’re not wherever Gerard took Victoria and possibly Sam.”

Peter nodded. “That include the fey?”

Stiles said, “It includes Tunstall. Last I knew Levander was working to protect the Nemeton. I’ll check with Isaac though. They seem to touch base with him more. Though they aren’t pack, I do want them safe too.”

----------------------------

Shortly after, Stiles closed his laptop after they’d ended the chat. He looked to where Grit was sobbing into the black fur of a fully shifted Theo. Malia too was curled up to them in her full coyote form.

Stiles ran a hand through his hair, asking aloud no one in particular. “What do we want for dinner?”

Derek spoke in response, “I’ve ordered us enough pizza for two armies. It’s dealt with.”

Stiles nodded. He was working to keep himself under control. He was pissed as all hell that Gerard had come after any of them, let alone fellow hunters. Admittedly, Stiles was also angry with himself for not protecting them enough. He’d thought they wouldn’t be who Gerard really wanted, but the misstep was biting him in the behind but how much so remained to be seen. Stiles didn’t know if he wanted to scream or beat something bloody, but he did know if it was latter, he wanted Gerard to be the bloodied one.

Even worse, Sam wasn’t a wolf if he was still alive and neither he nor Victoria were truly pack so tracking them down was going to be a bitch. That was not to say that they would be abandoned. Stiles cared for his own even if those individuals may or may not consider themselves as such.

One plus, if you could call it that, in Stiles’ mind was that Victoria’s eyes when she flashed them were not blue. It would possibly buy her time, especially as based on what interaction Stiles had had with the woman, she was an intimidating force to reckon with. Add on her knowledge of what Gerard did to Allison? Well, Victoria had some serious reason to fight harder than ever not only to survive but to try and rip Gerard a new one or twelve.

Hopefully, Sam would be okay for Grit’s sake as well as Sam’s own.

Stiles moved to check on Lydia but was stopped by Kali.

The teen stopped short, looking at Kali confused.

Kali took a slow breath and let it out before saying, “Are you seriously going to put everything at risk for those taken?”

Stiles looked her in the eyes so no mistake of meaning could be made as he responded, “Always. That’s the deal. That’s the price and gift of this pack. We will always come for those taken.”

Kali challenged, “But they are not your pack.”

Rolling his eyes at how ridiculous this was, Stiles said, “I don’t care. They matter to those who are pack, allies, as well as to those we were giving refuge to. Even without all of that? I would NEVER leave anyone in Gerard Argent’s hands. He’s a monster like no other.”

Kali nodded, looking like she might push it. However, instead, Kali sunk down to her knees, looking up into Stiles’ surprised eyes, saying quietly, “I submit to you, Stiles Stilinski, and only you. I will fight by your side, save those you deem worthy, and expect to be saved in the same way.”

Stiles grinned, sliding a hand up Kalia’s neck while she was on her knees.

Kali tensed, as many a wolf would with someone’s hand on their neck.

Stiles then stroked her cheek. “Thank you.”

He flashed his red eyes.

Kali flashed hers in return, the sorrowful blue on full display.

Stiles offered his hand.

When she took it and rose, Stiles surprised Kali by pulling her into a hug that caused the pack bond to snap into place in a way that made Kali tense then relax into the hug.

As he let her go, Stiles said softly to Kali, “And that’s what a pack bond should feel like.”

-----------------------------

There was a knock on the front door.

While Stiles moved to the bathroom to check on Lydia, Laura answered the door wearing no emotions on her face. The girl was in a t-shirt and sweats of Derek’s and hadn’t even bothered with socks. Once she had the door open, the third person who had been with the Argents was at the door.

Derek approached, asking, “Shawn, why are you here?”

Although she had a brief moment of hesitation, Laura stepped aside to let the human-like creature into her Uncle’s apartment.

The man stepped in, looking concerned by not afraid. He was holding a piece of paper with him.

Stiles approached as Laura closed the door behind the man.

Rather than answering Derek directly, the man gave Stiles the piece of paper he held.

Stiles read what was written on the page aloud: “There is a local hunter claiming he has knowledge about a name on you.”

Stiles looked at the man, asking, “A name on me?”

The man nodded.

Stiles sighed, then asked, “If I take off my shirt, can you point out the name, Shawn?”

Shawn nodded again.

Stiles set aside the paper before peeling his shirt off while Isaac and Boyd came closer as if to protect him with Derek just in case, especially with Peter not there.

Shawn reached out and touched a name on Stiles’ chest: Heimnry.

Stiles looked to Derek and then Laura asking, “Do you know of this person?”

Laura nodded with wide eyes.

Derek shook his head, saying, “Not really. Who was he to us, Laura?”

Laura wasn’t sure what to say. This all still felt so unreal. Swallowing hard, she said, “You should talk to Peter. He would know more about it than I would.”

Stiles perked a brow, seemingly noting how spooked the girl seemed. He nodded slowly, saying, “Derek, please grab Lydia for me and I’ll pull up the video chat again to talk to Peter.”

Stiles then turned to Shawn, “Do you have more to say?”

Shawn nodded, then mimed a pen writing.

Understanding, Alice came over quickly with a pen and some paper.

Shawn accepted the items with a nod of thanks then set about writing more. It wasn’t the same handwriting as the initial note but it became quickly clear why: Shawn wrote barely legibly both in his jagged hand-writing like that wasn’t a common activity for him as well as numerous misspelled words, but the note read no less as:

Thers moore/ A 2nd 1 froam yore chest

Stiles frowned but nodded. “Do you know the name of that one?”

The man shook his head.

Looking at Shawn, Stiles sighed. He then said, “Thank you. Are you staying?”

Shawn shook his head.

Stiles offered—“Want or need someone to go with you?”

Shawn shook his head hard as if to strongly support how much he did not want that.

Not sure what else he could do, Stiles said, “Okay. I understand.”

Shawn nodded as though pleased and left right back out the door he had come in.

Stiles sighed and forced himself to take action: getting his laptop back on and running as he dialed up a video call to both his Dad’s computer and Peter’s cell. Stiles would get ahold of them one way or another.

Peter answered through the Sheriff’s computer, asking, “Is everything okay?”

Stiles jumped right in head first, saying , “I was just told a local hunter has information on a name on my chest.”

Peter’s eyes flash blue. “Did they say which?”

Stiles sat down to be better seen through the camera on his laptop. “It was Shawn who shared the info. He just showed up out of nowhere with a note sharing that information. He pointed out a name on me as the one talked about in the note—the name is Heimry.”

Peter’s eyes got big like Laura’s.

Stiles ran with it, saying, “Laura said she knew who it was but that I should ask you. Shawn also wrote down that the person knows about another name on my chest, but he didn’t know which one.”

Peter took a visibly exaggerated deep breath before saying, “Heimry… well, there are two of them. One was a child when the fire happened. I wasn’t in the same room as him, but he was home for it. The other… well, the other was a cousin. He’d drowned. It happened suspiciously when he was young. I don’t really know the details. It was before my time. Talia knew him. She told it as a cautionary tale to the kids when they were little about not trusting strangers too much. Even though they, the kids, were strong, strangers could be anything secretly, and that was a very tricky thing.”

Stiles nodded. “Is there a chance this could be a real lead?”

Peter sighed. “I want to say no, but to be fair, had you said this same thing about Cora before we knew about her, I’d have said the same about her. We can’t completely dismiss it, but we’ll need to be careful.”

Laura stepped into frame for the video chat, saying, “We probably also want to be prepared for surprises if this really is Heimry from the fire. He was a were but hadn’t turned yet, so no one was quite sure what he would be.”

Stiles nodded. “Okay, have Ally pass along to Henri and Alex that we want more information. We’re willing to be who does follow-up, but I want to know whatever this hunter may know.”

Peter nodded, “Will do.”

There was another knock on the front door as Stiles let Peter go.

Moments later, after he had fully shut down his laptop yet again, Stiles saw Derek, Alice, and Boyd carrying big stacks of pizza boxes into the kitchen. Stiles sighed and put away his computer for the moment.

Next, he did his own form of ‘rounds,’ checking in on where everyone was and what they were up to: Malia, Theo, and Grit were all still curled up together, but Grit was sleeping, likely having cried himself out. Lydia was with Danny and Jackson on the brown leather livingroom couch—all using their phones for something with one another.

Cora was heading for the kitchen and pulling Laura along for it. Isaac and Tunstall were sitting on the floor in the livingroom talking in hushed voices. Erica was curled up on one of the livingroom chairs, sleeping with a couple of the dragon hatchlings. The dragon parents and the rest of the hatchlings were in Peter’s bedroom. The old man wolf was laying down in the guest room with Kali and Deucalion spooning her: all three looking worn out from the day. Kira too was in the guest room, sitting on the edge of the bed with the fox kit in her lap, napping, while Kyra was reading a book. Ennis was taking a shower.

Then there was a loud squeal. Stiles moved to find the source of the sound only to discover that Cora had woken Erica none too nicely with a bit of cold water. However, all seemed already forgiven by the time Stiles arrived as Erica had hatchlings in her lap while holding a plate piled with meat lover’s pizza slices. Ethan and Aiden were sitting on the floor in the livingroom with plates of pizza slices piled high.

-------------------------

An hour or so later, Peter rubbed his face roughly with his hands to wake himself further. He knew he needed some sleep, but it was hard to convince himself fully enough to do so. They’d gotten some Chinese take out for dinner, and Allison and Scott had already done the post dinner dishes.

With no one really being allowed into Stiles’ bedroom, Noah had offered his bed to Allison and Mel to sleep in while Noah took the recliner in the livingroom while Scott, Peter, and Chris got to debate over the couch versus floor among them. Peter had put his foot down that the couch should be Chris since he was human afterall. Scott and Peter would take the floor. Peter even agreed to allow Scott to cuddle with him when they went to sleep.

In the meantime, Scott was filling his Dad in on everything that had been going on and about all the different levels of supernatural that exist. Noah and Chris had helped in the beginning, but both had gone to lay down. Now it was to Scott to fill in the cracks and gaps of what the teens had been up to and doing.

Peter was still sorting in his head what McCall had shared in terms of his take on what happened with the search warrant BS over shared dinner. The man definitely softened with the right amount of low mien and soy sauce with hot mustard.

McCall had explained as best he could that based on all Scott and the others had told him that there was no way the execution of the search warrant was completely standard fare. The investigation was legit, based on the murders and lack of arrests, etc, but the house search nor the focus on Stiles at all were involved in the investigation, so whatever happened with the search warrant was not on the up and up.

Even though he knew Scott had to be getting tired and that he would need to offer for McCall to stay the night for safety, Peter was in no rush. He wanted to figure this all out so that it could be done already.

Hearing about Heimry had hurt, and Peter wasn’t sure what would happen if Heimry—either one of them—were alive. Would he be okay? Was he safe? Hurt? Did he need to be rescued? Or was this just a search for a body? A confirmation of death? Finding out the truth of what happened to one or both Heimrys?

-------------------------

Two days of research and information sharing later…

Stiles was sitting in his jeep that was parked in from of his own house. “You know, I could Alpha order you to give me my keys and let me drive?”

Peter replied with, “And you know I could Alpha order you to do as I say too.”

Stiles crossed his arms saying, “Why do you not want me driving?”

Peter sighed, “As I said, Derek nor I should be driving for this in case this hunter has real leads—”

Stiles interrupted, “So I should drive.”

Peter growled lightly, “Yes, but not the jeep. You should drive the SUV Derek got.”

As though they’d had this fight a few times over already, Stiles sighed. “To fit everyone… or at least more… Fine…”

--------------------------------

A half hour later…

Stiles pulled the SUV into the deserted parking lot.

Christopher pulls his truck in to park parallel to the SUV with a slight angle in toward the SUV, kind of making a retreat spot for cover in a sense.

Stiles looked to his passenger seat and then through the back of the vehicle, taking stock of everyone with him: Peter, Derek, Alice, Scott, Theo, and despite his hesitation, Grit. The latter not willing to be left alone but due to space had to ride with Stiles.

The sheriff pulled up his cruise on the opposite side of the SUV to the truck, also parking parallel with a slight inversion to extend the retreat for cover. It created an arrow formation.

Stiles took a slow breath. He knew they were bringing a lot of people, but it was crucial they be prepared, especially with the pack and others he felt responsible for broken into three groups: those here, those left at Peter’s apartment, and wherever Victoria and hopefully Sam were.

Stiles popped his neck because something had to give. One more deep breath in and out. Then, Stiles forced himself out of the vehicle in his jeans held up with a belt with an open carry holster on his hip with a pistol within it. Stiles wore his fairly traditionally over-sized t-shirt with his growingly more common red-like-blood zip-up hoodie.

In each of his hoodie pockets, Stiles had Mountain Ash and other herbs in plastic sandwich bags. He had on some basic tennis shoes—no point in breaking the bank on that front as he ruined them far too quickly and too often to risk throwing away money that way. He wore his rune’d and magic’d up bat on a strap over his shoulder. He moved to stand in front of the SUV.

The vehicles they were meeting had parking two parking spot slots away from where Stiles’d parked. They’d not gotten out of their vehicles yet, but Stiles felt like the pissing contest of who would get out first would be a waste.

Peter got out of the vehicle next based on the sound of his low growl.

Stiles didn’t turn, trusting his pack to get out of the SUV as they found appropriate. He was by far not up to micromanaging how people got out of vehicles right now.

Chris got out of his truck, presumably with Ally, Erica, and Malia.

Lydia had stayed back with Ennis, Cora, Ethan, Mel, and the dragons at Peter’s apartment while Isaac was holed up in Derek’s room at Peter’s with Tunstall.

Stiles heard his Dad getting out of his cruiser, muttering to himself as he opened the back door to let the old man wolf and Kali out. From the passenger seat, Aiden emerged.

A man got out of the middle vehicle on the other side and came out and around to stand in front of his SUV that was black just like the others’. All of the other SUVs had people coming out, though they were fewer in numbers than the pack and looked a hell of a lot more antsy.

Stiles stepped forward, walking to the midpoint, the center between all the vehicles.

The first man to get out from the other side approached as well with a hunter like himself to the side of him. The first man said, “Are you the ones looking for Heimry?”

Stiles nodded even though Peter growled again. “Do you have the information?”

The hunter nodded and walked right up to Stiles, pulling something from his pocket: a vhs video tape and a sealed letter.

Stiels asked, “What is this?”

The hunter shrugged. “I don’t know. I was sworn to never look at what was in the envelope or watch the video. I was simply to wait until someone came looking for Heimry Hale. My father said it was his last remaining wish. He’d said he’d taken part in the worst thing he’d ever done… that it would haunt him for all his life and death, but the one thing he could do was pass this forward for if anyone ever came asking.”

Peter sighed and approached from behind Stiles, asking, “Did he give you any clue of what we may find on here?”

The hunter shook his head. “No, but you did have good timing. We’re on our way out of here. This isn’t really our territory. But we followed a raging feral toward this area and happened to be close because of it.”

Peter growled low—“Hutning in our territory?!”

The hunter pushed the items into Stiles hands before raising his now empty hands in a surrendering motion. “We follow the code. It was a feral omega. We had permission from the local pack in our area to track down the feral and kill him. He’d without consent turned over twelve people and was brutally murdering and eating others. Something was not right with him. We caught up to him just a county over. Thankfully we were able to address it before anyone else got hurt.”

Peter didn’t look any happier but seemed to be letting it drop.

Then a single shot rang out and blood splattered all over Peter and Stiles’s faces as the bullet burst through the front of the hunter’s face.

Peter yanked Stiles down to the ground for safety as more gunshots started to ring out.

Then, suddenly, a bunch of SUVs pulled up in a seeming race to park all around them with people hanging out the windows and doors firing on everyone in the circle they’d made.

Chris shouted, while pulled out both his side arms and started firing, corralling the girls to behind the vehicle: “Gerard!”

Malia roared in anger, sounding like she got hit.

Ally had her bow out, shouting to her Dad, “Shoot tires… so they can’t follow the retreat! “

Stiles rolled out from under Peter, grabbing a pistol hidden in his ankle holster and his pistol from his belt holster as he rolled up and onto his feet, opening fire while moving to back up to behind the vehicles for cover.

At the same time, Kali jumped onto the SUV behind Stiles and then jumped off it and over Stiles leaning into a full rush at the SUVS in front left side of the circled SUVs.

She ran up to one and ripped the open driver’s door off the SUV and threw it aside and then ripped apart, nearly in half the driver who’d been shooting her from there.

Peter moved out of Stiles’ way and shot to the right side of him, rushing forward and to the right, closer to their vehicle to rip a man through his driver’s side window only to rip his head off. Peter then ripped that door off, followed by the passenger door behind that and threw it into the hunter shooting there.

Deuc, out of nowhere, was on the other side of the same vehicle from Peter, ripping hunters out and ripping them to pieces like confetti. He was called the Demon Wolf for a reason, after all.

Aiden rushed out in the same direction as Kali as did Alice.

The teen took cues from Kalia and began ripping up hunters. Aiden seemed to see no mercy needed for the men of Gerard.

While not nearly so violent, Alice ran around, cutting at tires and breaking arms. She also tried to help the hunters they were meeting, but those hunters were soon slaughtered, taking a brunt of the incoming gunfire from behind them.

Scott stayed close to Stiles while he was shooting and backing up. The beta even took a bullet or two for Stiles to keep his Alpha safe.

Both Stiles and Scott got a good look as Gerard emerged from the furthest vehicle.

The hunters who had come to meet them had tried to hold their own, but they were quickly cut down. Likely seen as betrayers for not taking the chance to murder all the supernatural creatures gathered.

Gritt howled in rage before taking off for Gerard.

Theo shifted and quickly followed to help.

Stiles called after Theo, “Keep him safe!”

Theo gave Stiles a nod as he rushed forward.

Derek was following Alice’s lead in disarming and arm-breaking as needed but more wrecking tires.

Stiles moved toward Chris’ truck, getting into his back tool boxes to grab more ammunition. He then reloaded his pistols in time to see Chris slid his hand guns into the cab of his truck and pulled out two semi-automatics from the other side of the toolboxes from where Stiles was.

Chris used the cover of the hunters being more focused on the werewolves tearing people apart, to open fire on the hunters currently blocking the pack and Chris’ vehicles from retreating.

Stiles moved, now reloaded closer to his father’s cruiser to check on his Dad.

Noah was crouched behind his open door, crouching walking it back to around the vehicle to be able to better reload his weapon.

Once Stiles got closer, he was able to pull his Dad further back out of fire only to notice his hand that touched his dad was wet.

Stiles’ eyes narrowed, ignoring the loud gun shots around them to check his father who’d been shot in the lower right leg and the left shoulder. Thank goodness Noah the bullets had missed his major arteries and the he was right-handed, so they missed his firing arm.

Although he knew this wasn’t the best, Stiles quickly holstered his weapons to crouch beside his father. Stiles stripped his hoodie off to peel his shirt off. Once his shirt was off, he pulled his hoodie back on and zipped it all the way up to his neck. Next, he was quickly ripping strips out of the shirt he took off. Stiles made and tied a tourniquet for his Dad’s leg and then again for his arm.

Not arguing, Noah just reloaded his weapons while his son worked.

It was too much chaos for them to really discuss what was happening.

Then, a hunter fired off a flare into the sky.

Chris dropped his not seemingly empty weapons to pull out a modified double barrel shot gun. He fired into the hunter that had shot the flare as Chris yelled for them all to hear: “They’re signaling for back up!”

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: blood, gun violence, torture, referenced torture, referenced drowning, referenced murder, character death**

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

Chapter 15: Magic & Hurt

Summary:

Fight. Escape. Red eyes. Retreat. Hospital.

Notes:

Thank you for making it this far <3

**Trigger warnings** in end note

Another hunter was loading up a flare, so Chris shot him with the shotgun, but at the same time another hunter fired a flare into Chris.

The hunter cried out despite himself.

Stiles stood straight up to get a quick look around. Once he saw the Alice and Derek had damaged the tires of near every enemy vehicle as well as that the Alpha pack members and others were really ripping into the hunters but also that everyone was looking pretty shot up, Stiles called out “Retreat!”

Stiles helped his Dad and Ally pull a groaning, teeth-gritting, and in-agony Chris into the back of his truck.

Ally got the man’s keys and was starting up the truck while Stiles grabbed the discarded weapons and threw them safely into the back with Chris. Soon Malia was back to them, climbing into the cab of the truck while Erica hurled herself into the back of the truck.

Noah then worked his way to his cruiser. He slid into the vehicle and got on the radio: “Calling all officers. Shots fired. Myself, Deputy Argent, and Deputy Hale along with civilians… I repeat, with civilians… were ambushed. There’s live fire. I repeat live fire. We’re trying to retreat.”

Noah jammed his keys into the ignition to turn over the vehicle only for the thing to sputter but not come to life. Looking around himself, Noah grabbed the weapons in the front before adding into the radio—“Am abandoning the cruiser!”

He then got out as quickly as he could, keys and all. He hustled to the back of the vehicle in time to have Alice beside him. He unlocked the trunk and pulled out the emergency first aid kit as well as some flares and the weapons, shoving most of it into Alices’ hands. He motioned for her to take the items to the truck.

Alice took off to do so, taking a bullet to the shoulder along her way.

At the same time, Gerard called out—“HALE!”

Derek, Peter, and the currently nameless old man wolf stood up and looked to that name being called out only to see Gerard had Theo by the throat, looking to be ready to rip his throat right out.

The old man had seen better days with bags under his eyes for days, signs of bite rejection, and a belt tightened around his arm that was clearly a Kanima arm, but the spite in his eyes was something to fear no less.

Not wasting time addressing that the old man responded to the name Hale, all three immediately looked to Stiles before ducking back to their efforts to fight their way back toward the vehicles while being shot at, also grabbing some Wolf’s Bane bullets from the ground as they went to treat the wounded.

Stiles too looked to Gerard, seeing Theo’s precarious position.

Before anyone else did anything, Theo tilted his neck faintly, submitting. It hit Stiles dead in the chest.

Stiles nodded to him, accepting his submission in that moment and making the unspoken promise that he’d get Theo back even as Gerard was shoving Theo and an already unconscious and bloody Grit into the back of his SUV.

It almost felt like slow motion, but then everything got loud and sped up way too fast!

Stiles opened their SUV driver’s door, pushing an overwhelmed Scott in to move into the passenger seat.

Deucalion was losing himself to slaughter, seemingly oblivious to his own wounds, but Peter grabbed him up and ran with him in a bridal carry.

Aiden was close behind with the old man wolf who was limping severely.

Kali was bringing up the back with Derek. Both came to and by-passed the SUV, cruiser, and truck to take out the last of the hunters in the way of the retreat.

Aiden got the old man into the SUV then joined the efforts to clear the way out.

Peter got Deuc into the SUV too before checking with Stiles.

Stiles motioned toward his Dad.

Peter nodded, moving to immediately help the sheriff into the truck Chris had brought.

Stiles yanked two of the plastic sandwich bags out his hoodie pockets, yelling with a growl-like edge, “Into the vehicles! NOW!”

Kali pulled Aiden back and Derek retreated too.

Stiles opened his sandwich bags and threw out all of the powder on the ground in piles. He passed Derek the keys for the SUV as he passed with the implied request for him to get things started.

Once the wolves were all piling into the vehicles that still worked, Stiles crouched down, facing the path behind their vehicles while putting his fingers then his full hands into the ground fine herbs and Mountain Ash blend the dumped powders made. He whispered under his breath: “Three by three. Three by three. Three by three.”

With his eyes closed, Stiles slowly stood as the powders moved around, rising, and hissing in a swirl with his rising hands all the way up to Stiles being fully upright. Stiles then slammed his hands together into a resounding clap that sent a magical ripple outward from him toward the vehicles in the way of their retreat, rolling them a time or three and out of the way.

Stiles then collapsed to his knees, his nose bleeding.

Suddenly, Peter was there, gathering up Stiles into his arms. Peter darted into the back of the SUV with Stiles in his arms as the vehicle began to move, following Chris’s truck, driven by Allison, out of the area as fast as they safely could, not daring to look back.

Everything was getting fuzzy for Stiles even as the vehicle was a panic inside, it wasn’t fully touching him in a sense: he felt at a distance from it all, almost like an out of body experience.

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At the same time, Victoria took another punch to the face and just growled at the hunters again. She found it made them even angrier when she would not use words. Initially, she’d used her knowledge of those present. Mocking Gerard had been the most entertaining if the most painful due to him hurting her more in response. The man was a mockery, his lies and falsehoods worn on his body in his attempt to get the bite. It made her cackle with glee and chide him ruthlessly, including with how much of a shame he was to his linage, to hunters, to everything he ever believed or even pretended to believe.

It made the red hot pokers and daggers laced with Wolf’s Bane sticking out of her more than worth it. She growled again, something that deeply unsettled the hunters with her based on the flinching. They must be newer, younger hunters than what had left with Gerard, though not by much.

It would seem Stilinski really had diminished Gerards numbers a time or two, culled the herd in a sense.

Victoria appreciated it in her own cruel way. With having the younger hunters and Gerard not here to play, Victoria knew this was her chance. Now was likely to be her only chance.

Gerard being gone meant he was mounting another attack somewhere. It had to be against Stiles for him to feel the need to be there in person. That or Christopher. Either way, it meant her baby was easily in the cross hairs, and that could not be allowed. She could not, would not allow her daughter to be hurt again, not by Gerard or ANYONE! Allison was their baby! It was not acceptable.

The wolf within Victoria, a feral mother in response to the risk toward her young, fully agreed!

Victoria focused on her well of rage that she’d been simmering and feeding the whole time because how dare they strike at her den—at the house she picked, destroying her curtains and more. How dare they hurt her baby! How dare they hurt her husband! Did they not know ALL of this was HERS?! HERS!

HERS!!!

Gripping all of that anger, rage, possessiveness, passion, and hunger with both her human hands with clawed fingers, Victoria reared up and ripped herself free of the electrified fencing. She then came up against the line of Mountain Ashe separating her from the young hunters who looked ready to flee upstairs.

The fools had imprisoned her in her own mid-repair, damaged houses’ basement like she had allowed and even had a hand in doing to others. This would not stand. They thought they could stop her? Control her? HER?!

Roaring in feral desire, demand for blood and vengeance and a raging-mother-bear level of protectiveness for her child, Victoria forced her way through the line of Mountain Ashe, her eyes flaring Alpha red.

Taking no prisoners, Victoria cut a bloody swath through the hunters and up, out of the basement, with a brief pause to rip out the things imbedded in her and grabbing some Wolf’s Bane so she could burn it out of herself later. She then honed her nose, picking apart each scent that came to her even stronger than her already werewolf enhanced senses had been and hunted her way through the house and up into the attic where she found a barely alive Sam.

Scooping the young man up as if he weighed little more than a limpet, Victoria took off through the back yard seeking and following Hale scent.

Rather than leading her to Stiles and those out meeting with hunters it led her to a swanky apartment building. Victoria burst into the building, taking the stairs two at a time before shoving and bursting her way into the apartment that smelled the strongest to come into a situation she wasn’t expecting:

Ennis stood, holding a knife to one of the baby dragons she’d heard others mentioning were around, which meant this must be Peter’s apartment. Across from Ennis was Cora and other wolves including Jackson and Danny.

There was also another hunter there with Ennis, seemingly helping him.

Rather than dwell on that, she tossed Sam onto the couch to the side of the others and rushed Ennis from behind, forcing him to drop the dragon babe to the ground as she ripped Ennis’ head off his shoulders before whirling around to rip the hunter in half with a deft over-powered rip of her claws through his whole body.

Then, without waiting or paying mind to dropped bodies, Victoria scooped up the dragon babe and coddled it close to her before flashing her Alpha eyes at the others—“Where is my daughter?”

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At the same time, Ally and then Derek skid their respective vehicles into the hospital parking lot.

Derek was quick to park near the front.

Ally parked right beside him, barely turning off the truck before she was out and running for the ER doors, yelling: “We need help! Please! At least two gurneys!”

While she was running for help, Derek helped Peter to get Stiles’ floppy, exhausted body in all its disoriented flailing glory out of the SUV before moving to help Noah out of the back of the truck and then with Alice, who’d burned out her own Wolf’s Bane poisoning and dug out the bullet, and Scott’s help getting Chris out of the truck bed too.

Stiles felt so heavy and loopy all at once and then his phone began ringing. All spaghetti-limbed, Stiles fumbled out his phone only for Derek to snatch it up.

Derek answered the call and gave a short summary of what was going on. The wolf then ended the call, looking to Stiles to assess his state before opting Derek turned to Peter and said, “Mel and some of the others are on their way here. Victoria broke Sam and herself out of where Gerard’s men were holding them. Sam’s alive but needs medical care. Victoria wants was to turn him.”

Growling softly, since medical personnel were rushing out to them with gurneys, Peter helped the nurses get Chris onto a gurney.

However, before he could be taken away, Chris gripped Peter’s shirt around the collar tight, pulling the wolf close to grit out that he had to protect Allison. She’d be Gerard’s next target.

Only when Peter had nodded and promised did Chris let go and allow himself to be rushed into the hospital straight to a room in the ER as he gushed blood from his burning chest due to the still burning flare there.

Allison moved to follow, but Peter caught her by the arm.

Peter said, “A promise is a promise. You stick to me.”

Allison yelled at him: “No! That’s my Dad!”

Peter nodded, understanding, but said, “And he wants me to prioritize you.”

He then looked to Derek, saying, “Follow them and stick to Chris like glue. I don’t care what you have to do or say, but you are not to leave his side, period.”

Derek nodded, handing over Stiles’ phone before rushing off, leaving Stiles to Peter while the older wolf still had a hold on Allison.

Stiles whined, growing a little hysterical, “Why is everything spinning? Is Dad okay?”

Peter swallowed whatever it was he initially wanted to say and instead said, “Erica, help Derek. Malia? I want you glued to Noah. No one is to be alone. We are still at high alert. When Mel gets here, I’ll deal with her.”

Malia and Erica took off to do as told.

Deucalion moved to Stiles’ other side, helping to keep the teen upright despite his inconsistent flailing.

Peter then said, “Scott, stay with me. Kali, Aiden, and Old Hale… I want you positioned in the lobby of the ER so that when the others come you can help. Do not separate. Pass along that we are still on high alert when they get here.”

Deuc and Peter then worked to get a floppy and uncooperative Stiles onto a gurney while Noah was helped onto one.

They all moved as an odd, mismatched unit with the nurses and a couple doctors toward the emergency entry to the hospital, those with Chris ahead of them already.

------------------------------------

Going with Stiles through the doors, Allison felt her gut twist into knots. She wanted to be with her Dad. Even though she understood the logic of what Peter was doing, Allison had not been there for her mother’s last moments, and she was terrified these could be her Dad’s last moments.

As it turned out, she was right to be worried about it as once inside, Peter pulled her close unexpectedly, hugging her as though he may be comforting her, which was a weird moment, but she understood it in her own way. He’d been there for the loss of so many in his life. Perhaps in addition to doing as her father asked, he was trying to spare her. However, once she accepted the hug and held him back, he whispered into her ear: “Call Henri and Alex. Tell them that Chris needs them right now.”

Ally nodded, whispering, “Okay.”

Pulling back from her, Peter gave her a nod, adding, “Right here though, where I can still protect you.”

Allison nodded as she pulled out her phone to dial up Henri.

---------------------------------------

Peter then heard it: Chris was coding.

He growled at himself. He grabbed Allison by the arm before calling out, “Aiden, stick to Stiles. I’ll be back.”

Just then, Peter surprised himself by letting out a breath of relief as he saw Mel, Isaac, Adrian, and Jackson rushing into the emergency room. Victoria carrying Sam wasn’t far behind.

Peter then amended his statement, “Aiden, stick with the original plan. Jackson, you’re glued to Mel. Adrian, Isaac, help Stiles. I’ll be back shortly.”

Victoria was very much in a take no prisoners state of mind. She didn’t spend any time waiting to be directed. She went with Mel as Victoria carried a severely hurt Sam in her arms.

He then started to guide Allison quite aggressively forward before stopping for but a second and taking the phone from her grasp and saying into, “Chris needs you. Get here, NOW!”

Peter then ended the call, slipping her phone into his pocket before scooping her up into a bridal carry by surprise that caused but a squeak even though tears started to leak from her eyes.

Pushing his way through, Peter got them into the room where they had Christopher. They were giving him CPR alternated with using the paddles as they were trying to revive him.

Thankfully, they had at least been able to douse the flare so that the man was no longer burning.

Peter set Allison on her own feet by Christopher’s head, not wanting to deny her what may be her last chance to speak with him, see him regardless of Chris’ demand or the very real possibility of this scaring her. People may consider Peter a bastard, but he refused to deny her this. The last moments with a family member were brutal, but she wanted to be here so god damn it, he would make sure she got to be!

The doctor’s were telling the nurses to get them out of there, but Peter knew he wasn’t going to be moving for hell or high water.

Then, Mel came in, dressed in scrubs. Having heard the doctors, Mel said, “no, let them be here. They deserve a chance to say good bye if it comes to that. They’ll stay out of the way. I vouge for them.”

That was enough for the nurses to not try, though the doctors did grumble about how it was not about what a nurse thought, but they continued.

Peter made sure to keep Allison out of the way while they fought to save Christopher’s life while not leaving her alone to face this without support. He’d lived how brutal that could be. Peter didn’t want to inflict that on her, even with her last name.

Allison, while pliant to Peter’s nudge here and there, spoke to her father, pleading with him through her tears: “Please, please come back to me! I love you and still need you in my life! I don’t blame you for what those hunters did, and I want you in my life! Please, please come back to me… I’ll even pick up everything and go to France with you… leave this life behind… I’ll do whatever you want, just please, please come back to me!”

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: blood, gun violence, torture, referenced torture, referenced feral rage/anger, death, cannon character death**

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

Also, would you like me to go back to adding fic recommendations?

Chapter 16: A Battle Pt.1

Summary:

Chris. Noah. Stiles. Lights. Black.

Notes:

Thank you for continuing <3

**Trigger warnings** in the end note

Chapter 16

The doctors kept working on Christopher Argent’s wounds through Allison pleading with both them and her father until they finally got a pulse.

Christopher was weak, barely hanging on, but his heart was beating again, a sliver of hope.

Mel then approached them quietly, escorting them out of the room enough though it was visceral to anyone watching how much Allison did not want to go.

Once out of the room, Mel pulled them both aside, Jackson was right there beside her, seemingly having stayed just outside the door when Mel had joined them.

Mel spoke softly to soothe and to not be overheard, “His organs, namely, his heart and lungs have been burned. It is unlikely he’s going to last, even revived for more than even half an hour. There’s just too much damage from the flare shot into him. That he is alive at all is sheer stubborn willpower on his part.”

Peter had a small smirk at that, “He always was one not to lay down. Will he regain consciousness again?”

Mel shook her head, “No, we’re going to keep him in a medically drug-induced coma to help him be in as little pain as possible.”

She then asked, “Are you going to turn him?”

Allison looked to Peter with such hope, saying, “I can consent for him.”

Peter looked to her sadly, “I won’t take the risk. He’s been a hunter long enough that his odds of bite rejection are too high for me to bite him.”

Allison looked heart broken, then stopped herself—“That’s why you had me call Henri, isn’t it?”

Peter nodded. “Christopher’s best chance is Henri biting him. I’m sure there will be consequences, but it’s his best shot. I intend to ask him to do the same for Sam if he makes it long enough to give them both a real chance.”

Allison nodded, “Give me my phone, I’m going to call them back—update on what we need.”

Peter handed over her phone without hesitation.

Looking unsure, Mel asked, “Will it work?”

Peter said softly, “It’s his best chance.”

Peter then looked to Allison who had gotten done on the phone. “Are you okay with us going to check on Stiles?”

Allison swallowed hard before nodding. But before she moved as though to follow Peter, Allison looked to Melissa, “Do you have my number?”

Mel nodded.

Allison sighed almost as though in relief. “I have yours as well, when they get here, we’ll need some private time to do this.”

Mel nodded.

Peter wrapped an arm around Allison’s shoulder, saying to both her and Mel, “We’ll be back shortly.”

As they got walking, Allison said, “Can we check on the Sheriff first? Stiles will probably ask about him.”

Even though all he wanted was to swim in his Alpha’s scent, Peter smiled, glad she was thinking about Stiles’ desires not just his physical well-being. She may not still be pack, but she had certainly grown on him. So, he said, “Good point. Let’s check on the Sheriff.”

They then heard a crash and some yelling—“I want to see my son!”

Peter chuckled quietly, “Or maybe save the staff from him.”

Allison and Peter sped up some to enter where the yelling was coming from.

In the room, a doctor was removing a bullet from Noah’s left arm while a nurse was placing sutures to seal up the wound in his right leg.

All the while, Noah was grumbling about how he was fine.

Just then, Peter decided to make himself known, “I think Stiles would disagree. If they didn’t do this, he’d be putting in complaints and you know it. Plus, imagine all the meat hospital food will afford if we’re here that long.”

Noah frowned. “Why are you trying to convince me to be calm while Stiles is hurt?!”

Peter moved closer to set a hand on the Sheriff’s non-wounded arm’s shoulder. “He is okay. He was not hit. He just over did it, wearing himself out. They’re probably just giving him fluids. I checked him myself.”

Noah settled at that. “Are you sure?”

Peter nodded. “I wouldn’t be more than an arms length from him if anything else were the case.”

The sheriff settled, still grumpy but more cooperative.

Peter then asked, “Did the bullet hit or nick anything life-threatening?”

Noah frowned harder. “I’m fine.”

Peter rolled his eyes before turning to the doctor.

The doctor said, “One moment.”

Once he had fully finished fishing out the bullet, he said, “He’s very lucky. The leg was hit but the bullet didn’t even go through. The biggest threat there is possible infection due to some weird stuff in the bullets that I’ve taken samples of sent out for testing.’

“The arm is a bit more concerning. There will definitely be a need for physical therapy to retain the strength and use of the arm at the same level it was at when shot. It’s really more about prevention on that front. Thankfully, he is not left-handed or this would be much harder for him moving forward. As it is, I’m suggesting bed rest for the next couple of weeks at least.”

Malia was fiddling with her fingers, seemingly trying to look human with cues likely based on Stiles with the fidgeting.

Peter then said to Noah, “Malia’s with you. Full time. No one is to be alone right now. Chris said he thinks Gerard will try for Allison next. Everyone has at least one wolf with them.”

Noah sighed, but nodded, saying to Malia, “If we get to a point of having to go to the bathroom together, we’ll figure it out.”

Malia just shrugged. “Don’t care. We all do it.”

Peter nodded, paying more attention to her since the third human-… no, since Shawn, Peter couldn’t help but find himself stealing glances at her, looking for resemblances.

Pulling himself away, Peter said, “Let’s go, Allison. I’m sure Stiles is torturing Adrian and Isaac plenty.”

Once to Stiles room, Allison and Peter both walked in the open door to find Isaac sitting beside Stiles, holding his hand and dragging dark black viens of pain off the teen with a hint of blood on the air.

Peter had to shut his eyes to get a hold of himself as the nurse in the room left, having finished setting up Stiles’ IV of fluids, which included electrolytes.

Once the nruse was out, Peter opened his eyes, aware they were flashing blazing red. He worked to quiet his voice as he gritted out: “Why’s he in pain?!”

Adrian, who was just inside the door to the left, answered, “Because he thought it was a good idea to get up and storm out to check on his Dad and managed to slam his face into a door and fall sprawling all over the floor.”

Looking closer at Stiles, Peter noticed the bit of tissue twisted up in each of his nostrils.

Additionally, Stiles had his other hand crossed over his chest, whining, “I need to check on my Dad.”

Peter internally found himself grateful for Allison’s forethought as he said, “We just were with him. He’s doing okay if stubborn. He’s determined he’s fine, and he is mostly right, but he will be on bed rest for at least a couple weeks to let his arm and leg heal up.”

Stiles groaned, saying, “I told you guys I needed to get up! Now, let me up!”

Isaac did no such thing nor did he indicate he would, keeping a grip on Stiles hand. Then Isaac said to Peter, “Don’t worry. He’s just loopey. Between exhaustion and smacking himself up, the pain drain is leaving him a little unreasonable.”

Peter chuckled. “Sounds like he’s just being him to me.”

Stiles then looked to Peter, “How’s Chris?”

Peter pulled Allison a touch closer at her Dad’s name being mentioned, making sure to keep support ever-present. He then said, “We’re working on that. Henri and Alex have been called in.”

Stiles’ face sank at that, clearly understanding what that meant. After a moment of hopefully well-selecting words, Stiles asked, “Will it work?”

Being honest, Peter said, “It’s his best chance. The risk of bite rejection is far higher if I do it. So, they’ve been called in. Melissa is with him right now. She and Allison have an open line of contact, so when things get moving, we should be ready.”

Just then, the light flickered.

Adrian whined, uncertain at that.

Stiles groaned, saying aloud to no one in particular, “Really?!”

Peter sighed. There was no storm or weather reason. There was a chance it was a fluke, but the odds were so rarely in their favor that Peter growled.

Stiles asked, “Help me up?”

Peter growled at him even as the lights went out. The older wolf was very much over all of this bullshit. He was not willing to lose anyone. He quietly growled out orders: “Allison, call Mel, tell her to keep everyone there for Chris, even doctors in the room and to barricade themselves in. “

Allison went to ask, “They wouldn’t wou—no, of course they would. I need to go and help them!”

Peter gripped her arm, growling hard, “NO! I promised Christopher, and my last act will not be betraying a dying man. Now, stick to me or so help me, I will knock you out and literally tied you to me.”

Allison frowned hard though only the wolves could see.

Peter grit out again, “Call Mel and tell her to do as I said.”

This time, Peter kept a hand on Allison’s shoulder to make sure she didn’t run for it. He then continued, “Isaac, Adrian, stay with Stiles. Keep each other safe. Stiles, no magic. You’re already too worn out. You three need to find a place to hide and stay out of the fight should it erupt as badly as I fear it may.”

“Where is Deuc? Wasn’t he with you all?” Peter demanded.

Isaac answered quickly, “He went to go check on Noah—Stiles ordered it.”

Peter rolled his eyes—of course Stiles did.

Allison responded to the situation, saying, “Derek ran out of the room the moment the lights went out, but Erica, Jackson, and Mel are with Chris and a couple nurses.”

Peter growled, “Self- sacrificing… Okay. Does anyone know where Scott—”

Just then, they heard one loud howl followed by another.

--------------------

Stiles took advantage of Isaac being distracted by the howling to take out his iv and to slid down to the floor. He gripped the floor, pulling, rising.

Everyone heard thick tree roots burst up through the floor and into the hospital.

Stiles touched the roots, causing him to glow as though he was charged up.

As he let go of the roots, Stiles stood, with an other-worldly quality to his voice, and asked, “May Nogi come with me?”

Peter stroked his mate’s face, passing the Nogitsune to the teen. “I thought I said no more magic?”

Stiles nodded. He then said, “Isaac and Adrian, please stay with me. Ally, you too for now. Peter, can you … actually, take Ally with you, Peter and run for Dad. Try to gather any of ours you run into along the way.”

There were more howls.

Stile took a deep, deep breath and then howled in his own way in answer. He was not going down like this, not around so many innocents let alone letting those he cared about die. Even if it burned the life right out of him, Stiles would fight.

Rolling his shoulders, Stiles said, “Isaac? Adrian? We’re moving toward the howling. Other than Chris and those with him, we’re all moving toward the howling. We’re not losing anyone!”

Stiles willed himself to keep moving, tapping into not only his Spark or even the Nogitsune but also into the very magics of the land and the Nemeton. This would not stand.

Peter got out around his fangs, “The first howl was Derek. The last ones were from the front. I’ll try to grab Derek on the way to Noah.”

Ally took Peter’s hand when he loosened his hold on her before they left.

Stiles nodded to Peter’s words before creating a glowing orb to provide light for him and the wolves with him. Stiles even pulled Ennis’ wolf from inside him to be physically present beside him. They would need all the help they could get if this was even half as bad as Stiles thought it was going to be.

Stiles then led Isaac and Adrian from the room. Due to years and years of time here when he was younger, even without seeing super far ahead or having some kind of map, Stiles knew where he was going.

Not even a full ten feet from his room there was already fighting. Peter and Allison were fighting hunters—Peter with claws and Ally with daggers.

They all didn’t exactly come to the hospital for a fight, but in the back of Stiles’ mind he knew it may follow them here, but with his Dad and Chris’ wounds, the pack was down some heavy hitters of the human variety.

Stiles crouched down as Adrian and Isaac joined the fight and touched the ground to pull up thick tree roots through the floor again. Stiles helped the tree loosen a few roots to grip and pull under the floors and into the soil a few of the hunters.

As the hunters were screaming and shooting in fear and pain, Stiles yelled, “Peter, go—take Ally with you! We’ve got this!”

Ally shouted, “Gotta stay with you!”

Stiles growled, not up for fighting—“Fine, Peter take Isaac!”

Peter grabbed Isaac and they took off further down the hall.

In the back of his mind, Stiles made note of needing to have a damn talk with Ally about blowing him off. At least it wasn’t a pack challenge. At the same time, Stiles worked with the Nemeton to overpower the hunters and drag them down while Adrian was defending him and Allison.

Allison was methodically slitting throats to speed up the process.

Once most the bodies were at least half way into the ground, Stiles and them moved onward.

Following the same methods with Stiles as their heavy hitter, they made it toward the front lobby of the ER where Kali and Aiden as well as the old man were fighting it out with hunters.

Stiles came into the lobby and threw the orb up to cast light on the whole room just in time to see Alice and the Old man literally rip a hunter in half before moving on.

Alice was also working with Kali to get the non-supernatural out of the building either through the ER windows when they could or safely into elevators. Deuc was living his best life ripping hunters apart without mercy. He was splattered with blood and viscera, essentially stemming the tide of hunters rushing in through the ER sliding doors.

Alice helped a set of doctors with a couple nurses evac a patient from one of the patient rooms and into an elevator to get them out of there.

The old man wolf was playing guard at the elevators and stairs, not letting any hunters through from the ER.

Aiden then got thrown across the air by Deuc to slam into some hunters trying to gang up on Kali as she was getting people out of their hiding places behind desks and into the elevators.

All of them kept human faces though most of them had claws out but for Alice, but she was the main person touching people to guide them since she couldn’t tell them with words.

Another howl rattled the building.

Stiles gripped the ground, calling up the Nemeton’s roots to start dragging down some of the hunters when he partically collapsed. He was using too much magic, but it could not be helped. He touched some of the roots coming up for another bit of charge to keep him up and fighting for those he loved.

He really hoped his Dad and the others were okay.

-----------------------

Peter got to Noah’s room just in time to see him getting up from the bed with Malia’s help.

Seeing Peter and Isaac as the buildings’ lights flickered back on, Noah grunted, “Stiles okay?”

Refraining from rolling his eyes, Peter said instead, “Up and fighting. We need to get you out of here as quickly as we can.”

Noah shook his head—“Not what’s going to happen. We need to get Mel out!”

Peter growled, “Malia?”

“On it,” she said before scooping the Sheriff right up.

Peter said, “Take him up stairs if you can—I bet the hunters are rushing through the ER assuming that we came here.”

Malia nodded, taking a struggling and indignant Sheriff Noah Stilinski off to safety.

Peter, with Isaac in tow said as he was going, “I’ll get Mel, Noah. Call in to your officers once further up to direct them here over the phone since power is back on.”

Isaac and Peter didn’t make it too far before they ran into Berserkers!

It was then Victoria burst through a wall with another attacking like it wanted to eat her baby! She roared like a beast, flashing her red eyes all the while.

Peter kept to himself the questions that envoked for the more present concerns. He leapt onto one of the other Berserkers, yelling at Isaac, “Run for it, for Mel!”

Isaac moved like he intended to do so before being shot through the knee of each of his legs causing him to collapse.

More hunters rushed into the area, trying to fight the Berserkers and the wolves all at once.

Where in the world were all these hunters coming from?! It was like they were disposable paper cups! That was Peter’s last thought before everything went dark.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: blood, gore, dying, guns, bullets, wounds, exhaustion**

If there are other trigger warnings I should be including here or in any of my chapters, please feel free to let me know.

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

"The Tower: Radiance of a Thousand Suns" by pixieblade in which the questions of what could have happened if it were not the Hales that burned but a different supernatural family. https://archiveofourown.org/works/53938393

"Now you turned into my enemy, here we go again" by TheEyeInTheSky where Stiles is kicked out of not only the pack, but the entire town of Beacon Hills. https://archiveofourown.org/works/52590010/chapters/133027084

"The Moon" by pixieblade--another in her Tarot series--in which alongside twists and turns, it is affirmed that Stiles is pack. https://archiveofourown.org/works/53424187

"Howl'd You Get Those Great Big Teeth" by Theraputic_Steter wherein Peter is stuck in wolf form. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12387414

Chapter 17: A Battle Pt.2 & Mending

Summary:

Nemeton. Carnage. Wounds. Losses. Heavy. Waiting.

Notes:

Thank you for coming this far! We're over half way, and I'm so excited for all that is still incoming <3

**Trigger warnings** in the end note

Carrying the Sheriff who kept grunting in displeasure and possibly pain, Malia worked her best to move away from the sounds of gunfire. She didn’t want to be pinned down in an elevator, so stairs it was. She ran down a hall then turned onto another before finding the door to the stair well.

Still holding the Sheriff, Malia forced open the door open with her hip as she had only two hands. The door easily buckled with the force she gave it. However, once through the door, she could hear gun fire below and growls.

Malia carefully set the Sheriff down for a moment. She briefly shook out her hands. She then scooped him back up, but rather than a bridal carry, had the sheriff draped over her shoulder while she held on with one hand as she raced to higher ground. She needed a hand free for if the battle caught up to them.

Running into trouble turned out to be more an issue than it was the hunters catching up to Malia and the Sheriff. Entering a floor that didn’t sound too loud on the way to it, Malia burst through the stairwell door only to find herself among a cluster of hunters. It would seem they were positioned to prevent escape.

Malia, aware of the restrictions, slammed herself back first into the hunter to her side. Once horizontal, Malia rolled the Sheriff toward a wall he could find cover behind while she rolled to the other side of the hunter, slitting his throat along the way.

Although she was most experienced with fighting as a coyote, Malia did understand her smaller size would only serve escape not protecting the sheriff as she knew she was expected to do. She rolled up to her feet, catching a glimpse of the Sheriff pulling himself to cover.

Not bothering with a pause, Malia used her momentum to throw her body into another hunter, punching the throat of another on the way.

--------------------------------

Stiles felt like he was bleeding magic, but it couldn’t matter—not yet. He, Allison, and Adrian were cutting through hunters and dodging hallways of debris to get to the ER with Ennis’ wolf made flesh attacking too.

While a heavy-hitter, Stiles was already lagging again. He was practically riding the roots of the Nemeton that were moving themselves at this point with their rage at all that was happening.

It turned out that Nemetons, or at least this one, could get pretty territorial. All the sacrifices knowing and unknowing over the years, the blood let on the land, had been charging and empowering the entity for a long time. Sentience was the least of its powers it would seem.

As the Nemeton grabbed and yanked and trapped hunters, Adrian and Allison were cutting into them to disable and kill as they worked ot get toward the howling in the ER that Peter had told them of.

Adrian, as they rounded into the ER, was hit repeatedly with arrows. The teen ripped them out as he ran at those shooting.

As the roots were rising like a wave, carrying him forward, Stiles let Ennis’ wolf return to within him to save a little energy, to last longer. He had to help guide the Nemeton, making sure to keep its hunger focused, guided onto the right people.

At the same time, Allison rolled into the room toward Alice who was fighting to help get people out of the area who were non-supernatural.

The she wolf grabbed Allison suddenly, pulling her to the ground while shielding her as a hunter fired a machine gun into the area.

Alice, when the weapon jammed, was up on her feet and charged the hunter along with Deucalion. Together they shredded the man before Deucalion literally ripped the hunter in half.

Allison was up too, grabbing a bow from one of the fallen hunters and starting to shoot. She was working to wound, down as many hunters as she could while the tree roots kept sucking down the wounded while bringing Stiles into the room.

Kali was cutting a swath while trying to get more people out of the way. It seemed there had been a lot of people in the ER when the hunters started funneling in.

--------------------------------

Victoria was covered in blood and ripping through Berserkers as best she could. She just fought to break and rip off their masks. She knew from the Argent bestiary that it was the best way to confuse them long enough to puncture their heads and shoot out their brains, or as she was doing now, breaking through skulls with her claws and shredding brains before moving on.

Then she was thrown through a barricaded door, being impaled on a metal pike of rebar.

It was then that Gerard walked up in all his grotesque false glory and bent the rebar before breaking both her arms hard enough for her to cry out.

He just chuckled, “There’s that voice I was looking for… I’ll catch you later.”

Gerard then blew a huge hand full of Wolf’s Bane into her face, causing her to growl, shifting back and forth and clawing at her own face to get it off as it was agonizing.

-----------------

Fifteen minutes later, Stiles was on his hands and knees in the ER lobby having let the roots he’d pulled up along the way ease back into the ground with some of the hunter bodies.

The Nemeton was full and not forcing its way into the situation anymore to buffer Stiles’ failing strength as well.

Alice limped over to him, checking if he was wounded.

Stiles managed to get out as he rolled over into laying down—“So… tired… Need Peter…”

Alice nodded and got moving.

Deuc followed Alice as she moved to seek Peter.

Meanwhile, Aiden moved to help Stiles up. Back onto his knees at the very least. Once he had Stiles up, sitting on his knees, Aiden moved to Adrian who was down growling and whimpering.

Both Adrian’s arms were impaled with arrows pinning him to the ground with cuts and burns in his eyes. The teen appeared to be in a lot of pain but was still alive.

After letting loose a howl to let the other wolves that may still be alive in the pack know where the others were, Kali approached, saying, “I’ve got Adrian. Go check on the old Hale.”

Kali slowly pulled the arrows from deep in Adrian and helped him to sit up some. She gently stroked his cheeks, saying, “Let me look. I need to see even though it hurts.”

Adrian whimpered but didn’t fight. He was too busy shaking and crying through the burns which likely hurt even more.

Aiden went looking through the bodies and guts, finding the old Hale pinned to a wall by one of the elevators with a sword threw the right socket of his hip bone and a half dozen daggers pining his left arm to the wall.

The old Hale was slowly, one at a time, using his right arm to rip out the daggers in his other arm. He didn’t make a sound of one kind or another. He was covered in gore much like Deucalion, but old Hale did not seem to take the same pleasure in the destruction.

Moving closer to the old wolf, Aiden moved to help carefully pull out daggers since they would need to be first. Next could be the sword in the hip socket. Oddly enough the daggers did not seem to have Wolf’s Bane on them, but the sword did as well as Mistletoe.

Henri and Alex Argent then came in through the broken ER sliding doors, looking shocked at what they were seeing.

Henri moved to Adrian, motioning for Alex to go to Stiles.

Henri moved to Kali’s side, asking, “How long has he been like this?”

Kali growled lowly at him, smelling his relation to Christopher, but still answered, “No more than fifteen, I think. He came in with Stiles while everything was going to shit. The battle was horrible but didn’t exactly take forever. They just kept coming.”

Henri nodded, saying, “We’ll need to be fast then—I need some clean water and fire. Can you get those things for me?”

Kali looked to Stiles, asking, “Should I?”

Exhausted, Stiles nodded, “Yes, but keep an eye on things. Adrian needs support, comfort.”

Stiles threw magic into the air to buffer the sounds of their speaking from others not in the know.

Soon, Jackson dragged himself out to the lobby, one of his arms shot up to shreds and several arrows sticking out of both his legs. He then motioned for those behind him. He grunted, “These the guys turning Chris?”

Stiles nodded, breathing heavily.

Alex crouched down before Stiles, asking, “what’s going on?”

Stiles took a shaky breath, saying, “We met up with the hunter contact of Shawn’s to get information. Gerard ambushed us all, killed the hunters as far as we can tell and mortally injured Chris and hurt others of the pack. We came here because we had to, and then hunters came and attacked here.

Stiles swallowed again, throat clearly dry based on his rough voice and one of his eyes were black, the Nogitsune helping to keep Stiles going.

Mel cradling her damaged right arm to her chest, Agent McCall with blood stains on him, Alice bleeding and carrying Sam, and Deuc carrying a pale as death Chris emerged from where Jackson had.

Victoria followed shortly after, groaning and growly. She was visibly pissed, bloody, and healing.

The old man Hale said, “Where’s Derek? Peter?”

Deuc grunted and motioned to Mel.

Mel said, “Kate took Derek and Scott.”

Victoria added on, “Some hunters got Isaac and Peter at least. I think it was the Calaveras, not the main hunter forces.”

Mel added, “Erica too then. Cause she’s no where to be found but Kate only grabbed the two, then her and her Berserkers took off. Only reason she nor Gerard came for Chris was that we hid him, so it looked like I was who was being hidden, defended. Raph came around when Gerard was leaving and got a shot or two off at a couple hunters trying to deal with those of us Gerard’d not taken already.”

Stiles huffed out a dry, unkind and humorless laugh. “Guess Gerard thinks he won…”

The teens’ nose was starting to bleed while bruises began to bloom over his skin.

Ally approached Stiles, seemingly intending to touch, but seeing the growing bruises didn’t dare, asking wetly, “What’s wrong? What’s happening to you?”

Stiles let loose another humorless croak of laughter. “Consequences. Magic comes with a price. This is how it is presenting this time. I fought off the exhaustion, the collapsing of myself. So, magic demands a different price since I refused rest, refused healing. I’m paying the price. And, from the sounds of things, it’s going to be getting much worse before I can stop.”

Mel said, “Stiles you can’t do that! Noah would never—”

Stiles forced his body up to standing even though he was shaking. “Do you want Scott back? Erica? The others? I can’t lay down and wait around. I have to be up. I have to be paying the price and getting things done!”

Just then, Malia carrying Noah was finally coming downstairs.

They were just in time for Noah to hear Stiles words.

Noah groaned, forcing himself loose enough from Malia to stand on his good and damaged legs with as little help as he could bear. He then said, “You know better.”

Stiles chuckled without mirth again, motioning toward his father. “Point made.”

Deucalion moved to Stiles side, touching his hand lightly before ripping his touch away. He then stared at Stiles with his unseeing eyes.

Only Malia seemed to see the moment Deuc touched Stiles that his hand went dead ash black from just the brush of skin.

Malia growled at Stiles.

The Spark just looked at her, offering her his open hands without irony as he said, “What do you need, Malia?”

The coyote growled again, almost as though the growl was the best way to communicate what she meant while Stiles had no clue what it meant.

Kali having brought the items he’d asked for, Henri worked to burn out the Wolf’s Bane and clean the wounds in Adrian eyes as he screamed in pain.

Stiles stared at it, watched as his eyes watered. He seemed to come to some level of resolve watching the suffering of one he sought to protect. Stiles forced himself to metaphorically stand taller. He said softly, nearly gritting it out, “Henri, are you burning it out and then rinsing before bandaging?”

Henri looked to the young Alpha, nodding as he said, “Yes.”

Stiles nodded. He moved closer, kneeling beside Adrian and Henri, saying, “Let me. I can do this with help. Will you please bite Christopher and Sam? They’re both hunters, but they will die without being turned.”

Henri hesitated, looking at the young Alpha before nodding. Henri stood and motioned for Alex to help. They moved around Chris first. Henri bit deep into Chris’ upper left arm, right where one might get a vaccine. Based on sound alone, it was clear he’d torn deep into Chris, possibly severing muscle in the process.

Henri, after holding for a moment with his teeth, released Chris.

Alex then went about bandaging the bite.

Henri wiped his mouth before moving to Sam, asking, “Which is his dominant hand?”

Stiles looked to Henri, saying, “I believe he’s a lefty.”

Henri nodded before repeating what he did to Chris but on Sam’s upper right arm.

Meanwhile, Stiles had tears running down his eyes as he burned the Wolf’s Bane out of his own beta’s eyes while said beta screamed in pain.

Once all of the poison was burned out, Kali helped with rising out Adrian’s eyes as he whimpered before bandaging the teen’s eyes.

Stiles still had tears running down his face. But didn’t say anything about why. Instead, he said, “We probably need to sort this all out. There’re going to be questions.”

At that, Agent McCall, Raph, moved forward, saying, “I’ve got this. Leave Noah and a couple others. We’ll deal with this. We’ll get back to you on what story is once everything is banged out. Go home—rest. Everyone who isn’t staying, go get some rest, mend your wounded and eat. Get out of here.”

----------------------------------

Stiles didn’t remember how he made it to Peter’s apartment or even who stayed behind or came here. What Stiles knew was that he was naked in Peter’s shower as hot water sulked down his bruised body, easing some pains and agitating others.

It was so hard to not collapse. He was so tired, too tired. Too weak. He’s lost people he cared about—again, but hopefully not for good. He should be raging or planning. He should be doing so many things, but he was just so beat down. This felt harder than past torture, harder than fear.

The physical pain was just existing. Life was hard. Life hurt. But pack members were gone… again. People he cared about taken from him. First his Mom, Lydia and Allison, more… and now this?

Stiles understood this wasn’t the end; it couldn’t be. But he felt so tired; this all felt so final. Like an end. It couldn’t be, but it truly felt like one.

Somehow he got out of the shower. Based on how his sweatpants were sticking to his legs, Stiles either didn’t dry himself off well or maybe didn’t even try.

Stiles stood in just sweats, staring at Peter’s unmade bed. Things had been hectic. Everything had been hectic since Scott was bitten. There were little breaks, but there was always something. Something going wrong. Someone being hurt. Something trying to kill them all. Something trying take even more from Stiles of himself and those he loved.

Unable to help himself, Stiles crawled into Peter’s bed. Pushing his face into Peter’s pillow that still smelled like his shampoo and ridiculously expensive but good smelling cologne, Stiles just cried. He let everything in him fall out through his tears into Peter’s pillow, that he was now clutching to him like a body, curling himself around it like somehow he could keep Peter safe by keeping this pillow safe even though he knew it made no sense.

Although he knew he had to figure this all out and get his people back, Stiles just cried. He couldn’t help himself—he just cried and could not stop.

Shortly, without him having invited or permitted or anything really, Deucalion curled up around Stiles’ back as the wolf pressed his face into the bed, presumably to smell Peter too. The wolf man held Stiles close like every extra bit would pull Peter back to them by will alone.

Cora soon crept in. She curled into Stiles’ front, crying herself. Tears were running down her face as she tucked her head beside Stiles; with her nose in the pillow too for Peter’s scent.

Suddenly there was massive howling and growling in the room with them.

It startled all three enough for them to look at one making the noise: Laura.

She was breathing heavily and roared before she grabbed Stiles before anyone really could react and shook him: enough to hurt but not kill. “What is wrong with you?! They need you! Peter needs you! The others… your pack! They need you!”

Stiles had tears running down his face, nodding quietly. While part of him understood. He knew where she was coming from. He knew she was right, but this was so much. Too much.

With his lower lip wobbling without him even meaning it to, Stiles nodded, settling onto his feet more firmly. He gently place his hands over hers, saying softly, “You’re right. We need to get to work.”

Without his normal wirey energy, Stiles forced himself to hold himself up even as Laura let him go.

Stiles then gently gripped her shoulder in comfort and support, saying equally softly, “Thank you. For the moment, if you’ll accept it, I would like you to be my second in command until we can get Peter back.”

Laura nodded and exposed her next to submit, likely for her brother and Uncle.

Stiles moved to pet Cora’s hair and then Deuc’s, saying to them, “Take a moment. Then join us in the main area.”

Stiles then forced his legs to move, to carry him into the livingroom where Chris was laid out on the ground beside Sam. Neither were really moving beyond incredibly shallow breathes.

Stiles moved more into the room, asking, “Status?”

Mel was sitting in one of the chairs, Agent McCall, Raph, wrapping her arm in bandaging over the gauze already taped in place, as she said, “Neither Chris nor Sam are really improving or getting worse, but they were not bitten that long ago. Henri and Alex are in the guest room, talking with Victoria and Jackson about what they saw of Gerard and the specifics they could pick up.”

As Allison, looking like both her arms and one leg were recently bandaged, motioned with her right bandaged arm at Lydia, Mel added, “Lydia is clasping her hands over her mouth, fighting not to let out a scream for a coming death.”

Th young huntress looked almost as scared as a wide-eyed Lydia, digging her own nails into her cheeks as she fought the coming scream like it would stop the person from dying.

Stiles noted that there was a lot of trying to escape reality right this moment.

Alice was sitting by Lydia, rubbing the young Banshee’s back in a clear attempt to comfort.

Tunstall had arrived, looking a bit lost though standing strong at the same time somehow.

Noticing that no one else was speaking up, Kali took the chance to further answer Stiles’ question. “Isaac, Peter, and Erica appear to have been taken by Gerard Argent and his hunters. Derek and Scott were taken by Kate Argent. There may have been Calaveras there too, but in the chaos it was hard to say. Hunters were everywhere from more than one family, organization.’

“Noah is wounded, but able to fight still with help. Lydia’s holding on by the edge of her self-control. Allison is only so much better. Jackson seems out of it. The other Argents? I don’t know or really care. They weren’t in the battle. Melissa’s arm is broken and badly lacerated. She’ll need stitches at the very least. McCall has a heart murmur.”

Rubbing her side, Kali continued, “Ennis turned on us. Victoria escaped with Sam, but apparently, when she got here, Ennis was holding a baby dragon hostage with a hunter to do… I’m not sure what. But he must have made some kind of deal with the hunters since he was no longer a wolf and could not become one again. He betrayed me… he gave up everything we had.”

Shaking, seemingly with rage based on her dropped fangs, Kali continued since no one was stopping her, “Old man Hale is with the dragons, helping with the hatchling Ennis hurt. He can’t bear to look at Cora or Laura right now. Adrian is sleeping off what happened to his eyes in Derek’s room, based on the smell. Boyd is with him, comforting the fellow beta in his sleep.”

Pausing, Kali looked to everyone there and sighed. She then continued, “Noah, the Sheriff called in the attack at the hospital and the deputies are dealing with it. Raph has also been in contact with his people.”

Noah was standing leaning on a wall, starring at Chris like if he didn’t the other man would vanish. Noah didn’t even dare to blink.

Sam looked so tiny on the ground—his wounds oozing with Wolf’s Bane that the hunters had used on him despite him being human, despite him having been a hunter. Maybe it was BECAUSE he was a hunter.

Bandaged, Mel moved to the young hunter, cleaning up his wounds more and burning out the Wolf’s Bane as she’d seen the others do—all of it one handed.

Danny was sitting with his arms wrapped around himself near Lydia but touching no one. This wasn’t what he thought he’d signed up for.

Allison, clearly unable to bear it any longer, slid down onto her knees beside her father’s hand, whispering to him as sweetly as anyone had ever heard her whisper: “Please Dad? Daddy? Please? I will go to France with you. We’ll run away from all of this and never involve ourselves in anything like it ever again if you’ll just wake up, please? You can do this! Please! I still need you! Please?”

Stiles took a deep breath to steady himself before moving to Lydia’s side.

Jackson and Victoria emerged from the guest room in time to hear Allison pleading with her father to live.

Victoria moved to her daughter’s side. Crouching down, Victoria side hugged Allison. “He’s fighting as hard as he can, I promise. He was always stronger than me in his way. If anyone can beat this, it’ll be him.”

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: blood, exhaustion, gunfire, sword wound, dagger wounds, ripping people apart, abduction, gun violence, bullet wounds, biting, medical treatment**

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read (fair warning, they both made me cry and are far better than anything I've written):

"Death" by pixieblade wherein at a steep cost Stiles must go back and undo what was done. https://archiveofourown.org/works/54350092

"The Hierophant" by pixieblade in which hunters take the Country and the supernatural who are not yet dead are in hiding. https://archiveofourown.org/works/54397924

Chapter 18: Life & Death

Summary:

Loss. Scream. Deaths. White robes. Life. Hunters.

Notes:

Thank you for making it this far! Only a few chapters or so left, I think <3

**Trigger warnings** in end note, which are spoiler-y

Jackson moved to Lydia’s other side near Alice, saying softly to her as he reached out to grasp Danny’s shoulder in support, “It’s going to be okay. You got that? It’s going to be okay.”

Tears ran down Lydia’s face like the blood trailing down from where her nails were still dug into her face.

Stiles crouched down to the ground, moving to rest upon his knees as he looked up to her. he gently wiped her tears, saying, “Not letting it out won’t change the person from dying. I’m going to move from here. I want you to take a deep inhale and then let go and let the name loose at the floor, okay?”

Allison was quick on that—“Don’t you dare, Lydia! Don’t, please don’t! Please! I need time, we have to make sure it’s not Dad.”

Stiles growled, moving to his feet, softly running his hands through Lydia’s hair, saying softly, “I know it hurts to keep it in. I know you are hurting yourself. You have to let it out. I don’t want to lose anyone either, but we have to know, especially if it’s not here. We have work to do, okay? Please let it out. I won’t make you, but please do so anyways.”

Stiles moved out of the way to let Lydia freely choose. Now was no time, in his mind, for him to force her into a position if she didn’t want it. Now, while a time for strength, was also a time for mercy and kindness toward their own.

Lydia squeezed her eyes shut after sharing a look with Allison that caused the other girl to burst into more hysteric tears.

Victoria held Allison close to her as Lydia let loose her scream at the floor.

Lydia screamed: “GRIT!”

Sam seized on the floor, coughing up black ichor.

Jackson quickly moved to roll the teen onto his side so he would not choke on what he was coughing, and now vomiting, up.

Jackson looked to Stiles as if to ask what to do.

Stiles closed his eyes briefly before moving forward to kneel beside Sam. Stiles leaned down to whisper into Sam’s ear for only him to hear: “Do you want it ended fast?”

Sam faintly nodded, in excruciating pain written all over his face as he kept spitting up the black and his veins were going black too.

Stiles reached into his ankle holster to pull out his gun before saying to Alice, “Toss me a pillow? It doesn’t matter which one.”

Alice nodded and tossed a pillow one handed while still rubbing Lydia’s back.

Jackson looked lost and sad as he moved back to Lydia to comfort her and Danny.

Stiles said softly, “Everyone, please look away.”

After giving everyone who needed or wanted it a chance to look away. Stiles placed the pillow over Sam’s face before pressing his pistol barrel to the pillow and shot Sam dead with one shot through the temple and diagonally through the brain for a quick and painless death.

Tears running down his face, Stiles stood up. Although feeling numb, Lauras words were still rattling around in his mind. He said, “Laura, Deuc—please move the body into another area—ideally the dining room for now. While I yearn for Peter to be here to get me in trouble for getting blood on his floors, I don’t need to cost him extra by letting it soak through into the sub-floors.”

Moving, Stiles said, “I’m gonna go wash my hands.”

What he really meant was that he needed to take a breath. This was going to be a hard road, let alone a road without Peter. Thankfully, Stiles Dad was still here.

At the same time that Stiles was trying to leave, Henri and Alex had returned to the room.

Henri had a worried expression etched on his face, saying, “He’s not started healing yet?”

Jackson managed to say, “it could just be a lot of damage, taking him more time.”

Deuc and Laura were then taking Sam and the pillow over his face out of the room.

Henri asked Stiles, “Bite rejection?”

Stiles nodded. “Peter had said it was their best chances, but nothing is perfect.”

Ally pulled from her mother, crouching closer to her Dad. She softly pet his hair, saying, “He’ll be fine. Sam was bitten second, so if Dad’s not rejecting, he should be fine.”

She didn’t ask it as a question, but no one seemed in a rush to challenge her. not unless they knew.

Lydia then whimpered. Before she could stop it, she screamed at the floor again: “SAM!”

Ally had tears in her eyes, “Good… good.”

Her desperation was palpable as she was growingly not sounding as secure as her words sounded.

Danny said, out of no where, “Probably not something cool to say.”

Allison burst at that—“It is! It means it’s not my Dad!”

Victoria pulled Allison closer.

Allison seemed to settle some, more at ease having gotten that out. She then said, “He’s not showing sighs of bite rejection. So, he’s going to be okay. He’s just healing slow.”

Danny stayed quiet, seemingly cowed by her outburst, but also gripping Jackson’s hand tighter, burying his face into Jackson’s shoulder as the once Kanima was still trying to help Alice comfort Lydia while supporting Danny too.

Noah then seemed to see what Danny turned away over.

Every wolf knew, but no one said. They just sat with it for the moment: Chris stopped breathing.

Allison finally noticed and screamed, riping away from her Mom. Ally looked ready to wretch, but she didn’t seem willing. On her knees, Allison bent over to blow into her father’s lips while blocking his nose. Three breaths. Then she clasped her hands together before slamming them on her Dad’s chest three time. She then blew into his mouth while blocking his nose three times before she moved back to chest compressions, demanding, “Is no one going to help?!”

Noah was soon by her side as was Stiles.

Her demands waking Stiles somewhat from his numbness. Stiles then took over the chest compressions while Allison continued to give him mouth to mouth.

Stiles and Allison kept going for several minutes before Victoria reached down and wrenched Allison up, stating, “You have to let him go.”

Noah then moved closer and took over what Ally had been doing, sort of. With the hole in Chris’ chest, the compressions were probably not doing the job like they might have if his ribs or chest cartilage where intact. At the same time, he told Stiles, “If ever you were going to cross the line of the living and the dead, now would be the time.”

Stiles’ eyes went wide. That was something he never thought his Dad would endorse. As Stiles tried to rapidly work through what he could, Noah kept going.

Noah began speaking out loud to Christopher—“Don’t you dare leave me. Don’t you dare. We both lost our lives.. our wives, but kept our kids. You weren’t here for me with that like Melissa, but don’t you dare die on me! Don’t die on your daughter! Don’t die on your wife! You just got her back!”

Noah reached into Chris’ chest cavity with his right hand and massaged Christopher’s heart while leaning over to use his other hand to block Chris’ nose while giving the man mouth to mouth.

All the while, Ally was crying and fighting her Mom, demanding Chris to live, to be able to save him at the top of her lungs.

Lydia cried with her girlfriend but was holding her hand over her mouth again, digging her nails into the skin on her face once again, trying so hard to keep whatever wanted to come out within her.

Stiles knelt on the ground by his dad, rubbing his hands together and on the ground, one eye going black as he tried to jump start his already exhausted magic. Not feeling it spark as hot as usual, Stiles touched Chris’ temples for the Nogitsune to go into Chris, to save him.

The Nogitsune did go into the hunter, but rushed back into Stiles before he could stop touching Chris. Coming to the surface in Stiles, the Nogitsune’s smoker’s cough oof a voice said, “There is nothing to be done. Both his lungs as well as other organs are too damaged. Even the bite wasn’t enough.”

Lydia, crying, had to let loose her scream at the floor, cracking the already damaged floorboard more with her scream: “CHRIS!”

She was panting—so many screams so close together were hard on her body. Her skin was glistening with a light layer of sweat.

No one mentioned or asked why she never screamed for Rod or if she was okay. No scream for Rod was unimportant right now, and everyone knew she was not okay.

Noah knelled over Chris once again, no longer to give mouth to mouth as he took his hand out from within Chris. Noah then kissed Chris softly, whispering to the dead man, “I wish I had told you I cared when I could’ve done something about it.”

------------------------------------------

Laura couldn’t believe what she was watching.

After Christopher Argent was dead, truth of the matter no longer deniable, Stiles took one person at a time. He checked in with them, helped mend any yet untreated wounds, then hugged and scented them. He did so to his pack and pack adjacent, even a hunter!

Everyone seemed gut checked, weakened by the weight of loss. She wanted to scream. They couldn’t be like this—did they even know loss?! She’d lost her whole family and had to keep going! Why were they all acting like they were quitting already?!

Stiles then came to her, asking her, “How are you?”

Laura flared her eyes, growled, “Angry. Why aren’t we doing something? Anything? Everyone’s acting like this is all over. There are people who need us!”

Stiles very carefully put a hand on her shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze before he said, “We’re not giving up, Laura. This is just a lot. We’re mending the wounded and addressing what to do with the bodies for now.”

Laursa growled again, ripping out of his grasp—“No! We need to go get them! When I was an Alpha I didn’t just abando—”

Stiles threw her back with shadows: “Don’t. You. Dare. You can be scared. You can be worried that you’re not seeing the emotions you’re expecting or demanding, but don’t you dare try to tell me about abandoning ANYONE! YOU LEFT PETER! HE was in a coma, defenseless! And, we, are not abandoning those taken. We’re putting ourselves back together to formulate what to do next.’

“I will not kill us all just to get no one back. This pack is built on the standard, requirement that NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND! So don’t tell me my business. You made choices when you were an Alpha just as I am having to do now.”

Stiles eyes did not flare once. He just looked tired and pale even as he took a slow breath to dial down the intensity: “We have to work together.”

---------------------------------------

There was a knock on the door.

Jackson got up to answer it. When he opened the door, Kira was on the other side with a stack of pizzas.”

He moved out of the way, letting Kira into the apartment. Jackson asked, “Why’re you here?”

Before Kira could answer, Stiles did, “Because I texted her. Thank you for coming, Kira.”

Lydia, her makeup smeared, moved to take the pizzas from the girl.

Stiles then motioned for Kira to come have a seat beside Laura and Danny.

However, while Kira was expected by Stiles, the next knock on the door was not.

Stiles held up his hand to stop Jackson from answering. Instead Stiles cautiously peered through the eye hole only to see a group of people in white robes.

Stiles pulled back silently. He cursed in his mind before motioning for the wounded to be taken back out of sight.

Once that was done, Stiles had Mel answer the door despite Agent McCall’s clear dislike.

Mel opened the door, saying, “Hello. Uh, we’re not converting. You can move along.”

The woman at the front of the druids just smiled, saying, “We’re not here for religion. May we come in?”

Mel seemed to think a moment before saying, “Hold on. I’ll grab the person who actually resides here.”

She closed the door in their faces before moving back to Stiles with a questioning look.

Stiles gently gripped her shoulder for a second in support as well as to subtly scent her while making sure they’d not cast anything on her without being obvious.

Stiles then went to the door, he opened it a little less than Mel had, asking, “Why are you asking to come in?”

The woman at the front just smiled, saying, “I think you would prefer we speak inside rather than around your neighbors.”

Keeping to himself the state of possible ‘neighbors’, Stiles played like he was thinking about it before stepping outside the apartment. “I think I’d rather know why you’re here before I invite you in.”

The woman frowned.

Stiles knew why, but he pretended to be clueless: she was trying to intimidate and sway him with body language, vocal tone, and hint of magic.

He wasn’t falling for it.

The woman soldiered on, saying, “Well, we were hoping to speak on supernatural concerns.”

Stiles waited for her to say more, not willing to make it easy for them. He knew they wanted the Nemeton, and he was in no way going to help them.

Then, unexpectedly, Agent Raph McCall came out the door, closing it behind him. Seemed the man refused to leave a teenager to deal with this on his own. However, once Raph turned and looked at those in white hoods, he asked, “Agent Wilson? McCashen? Why is the FBI here?”

Stiles perked a brow at McCall and then looked to those in the robes who looked a little less comfortable. Apparently, intimidating random humans was fine but not so much someone who knew them possibly? Or was it that he saw them as FBI and wasn’t commenting on the white robes. Could he see them?

Despite having so many questions, Stiles decided silence was best as he watched to see their response.

A man stepped up from behind the woman. “We’re seeking to question them about a case they may have information on. We’ve been tipped off that there may be bodies buried by a very specific tree in the preserve. We were hoping they would know more.”

McCall frowned, saying, “They’re kids, Agent.”

The man nodded, seemingly unyielding.

Stiles then took things up, saying, “I have no idea what you are talking about, so I’m of no use to you. A tree’s a tree.”

The woman who’d spoken originally frowned before gently touching the man’s shoulder.

The man then said, seemingly cued, “May we take a look around?”

Stiles opened his mouth to smart off.

But McCall cut off that option, saying, “Why?”

The man frowned, but continued, “To make sure things are all right.”

Again, before Stiles could say anything, McCall said, “Do you have a warrant?”

The man frowned harder, looking to Stiles, saying, “Do we really want to be that official about things? I mean, it could look bad for your father who is under investigation, isn’t he?”

Stiles stared at the man, eyes fierce. It spoke so much of Stiles that he didn’t lash out or flash his red eyes.

McCall had his back though, saying, “Like how it would look to intimidate a teen into unlawfully force consent to search someone’s residence when you have not been invited in?”

The man tried ignoring Raph, still looking to Stiles with clear intent to intimidate.

Deucalion then stepped out of the apartment. By no means a small man, Deuc wasn’t one to bend. Instead, he said, “As Noah Stilinski’s lawyer, I am making a note of this attempt at intimdation of a minor with a case against his father. I think human resources will love to hear about how you are handling this investigation.’

“And, bodies? What bodies? Whose? Why are you asking a teenager about bodies? Do you suspect him of killing people?”

The white robed people seemed to deflate some at how Deucalion introduced himself as well as his words.

The people in robes turned tail before one turned back, saying, “We’ll be back.”

Stiles watched them go before he, McCall, and Deucalion went back in.

Deucalion sat down and waited, it seemed, for them to be out of hearing range or perhaps the building. However after a silent moment or two, Deuc said, “Now, that was concerning. I don’t think your investigation, Agent McCall is on the up and up. They did not even know that Stiles is eighteen. While he is still in high school, he is a legal adult, yet no one said one word about my calling him a minor.”

Frowning, Stiles asked, “Did they look like FBI to you too, Duke?”

Deucalion frowned. “Yes… why?”

Shaking his head, Stiles said, “Those were the group in white robes. They were using magic to disguise themselves.”

-------------------------------

Not going into further details, Stiles sucked it up as a gut check and just asked: “Who is in for the fight?”

It was then that Lydia screamed for dear life, running for where Chris and Sam’s bodies had been moved.

When she went in through the door, it was to find Chris groaning but otherwise seeming dead. His chest barely rose but the groaning seemed to signal he was alive.

Lydia screamed, though not as a banshee—“CHRIS!”

Allison raced through the house, not bothering with her Mom and rushing straight to her Dad.

Once in the room with him and Lydia, Allison wrapped herself around him as tightly as she could without hurting him.

Chris slowly sat up with a low groan, holding her close, too tight.

Allison said nothing, just holding onto him, relieved he was even alive.

Victoria entered and roared at Chris, causing the man to loosen his grip as he looked into his wife’s red eyes. She said, “You’re bruising her!”

Chris let go of Allison, seeing that he had in fact bruised her to black from just holding her. He let out a shaky breath, saying, “I’m so sorry.”

Stiles was soon in the room with Alex and Henri too.

Sam slowly sat up, promptly growling ferally at them all.

When the once human teen roared and moved to attack, Henri was there and had the teen by the throat and shoulder. The older man stared down the young wolf.

Sam growled and fought for only a few moments, eyes flashing blue the whole time before he finally whimpered and looked away from Henri.

At no point did Henri flash his eyes though Sam seemed unable to stop from doing so.

Stiles then asked Chris—“How are you?”

Chris took a moment, seemingly thinking through his answer. He then tilted his head, submitting to Stiles, before saying, “Still healing, but thankfully not dead.”

Allison hurled herself at her Dad again, still sobbing, “But you were… you and Sam were dead.”

Henri, still holding Sam the same way despite the teen seemingly having calmed down, said, “That’s how it works. It is a form of death to be like me.”

Stiles asked, without heat, “Why didn’t you tell us?”

Alex answered instead, “Sometimes, it is fatal. Permanent. Sometimes the person turns. There’s no black ichor or anything like that. The bite turns or kills for good. It’s why it is not lightly given by Henri.”

Henri nodded. “I do not like killing, but when I must, as you can see, I take the risk of being a killer to possibly save a life. It’s why I have never turned someone under basic circumstances. It’s too risky.”

Stiles nodded slowly, clearly not looking for a fight. Instead, he asked, “Does this mean Sam and Chris will have to leave now?”

Allison held her Dad tighter, scrunching her eyes shut tightly as she whispered, “No.”

Henri said, “Yes. They’re not safe to be around others.”

“No,” Chris said. “I have to do something first. The Calaveras.”

Stiles groaned. “The Calaveras?”

Chris nodded, saying, “If they caught any of ours, I am the only one who can get them back. They’re here for La Loba. They’ll do anything to catch what they seek. They could’ve sneaked in with the others at the hospital.”

Lydia asked, “How could you know that?”

Chris responded with a mirthless smile, “It’s how I would’ve done it.”

Stiles said, firmly but with care, “Are you sure that is something you can do?”

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: death, blood, cries of pain, wound treatment, wounds, magical illusions, abduction, grieving/loss, betrayal**

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

Chapter 19: Calaveras

Summary:

Questions. Calaveras. Alpha. Trust.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings** in end note

Thank you for continuing reading!

Alex added, hesitantly, “You wouldn’t be affected by Wolf’s Bane like the others, so it may be possible.”

Stiles looked to Alex, questioning with only his eyes.

But before Stiles could ask anymore or Chris could answer, Henri said, “No. We cannot risk him getting loose and killing a bunch of people. The secret of the supernatural is crucial and we cannot let him kill innocents either.”

Stiles looked to Chris, asking, “Can you do it without hurting others? We cannot have a war coming down on us anymore than it already is.”

Chris slowly nodded, saying, “I can do this. We can do this.”

Then, Chris looked to Henri, saying, “And after, I will go with you and Alex. But, I have to do this first. I owe it to them, to my daughter to do right when I can for all the times I didn’t.”

Henri sighed. He didn’t say more though. Instead, he made eye contact with Alex.

Alex nodded, saying, “Then we’ll be there too.”

Chris shook his head. “I have to go alone. Any more than that, and they’ll believe I’m up to something.”

Alex said, “I never said they’d know we were there.”

Chris nodded in return.

--------------------------------------------

Chris walked tall, weapons in his holsters, as he walked up to the old house he knew had to be where the Calaveras were. It made the most sense.

It was a tall, old house with a few storage units behind it. The family of hunters liked to follow the hunter habit of warehouses, but Christopher wanted to approach as an ally, not someone attacking to free werewolves. He was an ally, not an enemy.

He walked up to the front door as casually as one could while fully aware of where you were going. The Calaveras had a fierce reputation that they had more than earned. Their current head of their hunters was Araya Calavera who once shot one of her own men for daring to steal from her. She was intimidating without even needing to be present.

Before he could get too deep in his own thoughts, Chris watched as the door opened to a young girl no older than seventeen with a shotgun pointed in his face, demanding, “Why are you here?’

Chris lifted both hands in surrender to communicate that he did not intend to be a threat, saying, “I’ve come to talk to whoever is in charge.”

The young girl looked fierce, but from behind her one Araya Calaveras came up and touched the girl’s shoulder.

Araya said to the girl, “Put it down. Mr. Argent, what could possibly have you calling at our door?”

Chris responded, “La Loba… and some wolves you have.”

Araya grinned with too many teeth for Chris’ comfort. “Come on in. I believe we have plenty to discuss.”

Once inside the residence, Araya took him through the house and into the kitchen, asking, “Why come here and not to the warehouse? If you know about here, surely you know about where the wolves are.”

Chris nodded again, saying, “Perhaps, but I felt it would be best to act with respect and perhaps cooperation.”

Araya nodded. “Why do I feel like I am about to be scammed?”

Not giving way, Chris instead said, “La Loba is Kate Argent. She is no wolf though.”

Faintly tilting her head, Araya said, “Oh, are you here to argue for us to spare your sister?”

Shaking his head, Chris said, “Quite the opposite. I am currently working with a pack to not only hunt her down but to destroy her for good. No coming back from it this time. She’s a Werejaguar, turned accidentally by Peter Hale, whom I know you currently possess.”

Araya smiled with slightly more kindness but even more viciousness, “I see. You now bow to the dogs?”

Chris chuffed. “I am not my father, who spent the later portion of his life trying to become a werewolf only for it to backfire on him. I am merely using my resources wisely. My daughter, my matriarch, had made an alliance with a pack to keep Beacon Hills safe since so much is drawn here. They have agreed to hunt down Kate. It is of mutual interest between us. She is a risk to the humans within the pack as well as the community of Beacon Hills that the pack has sworn to protect. Additionally, she’s victimized the Hales of their pack, which is why Peter Hale killed her to begin with.”

Araya nodded, “Ah, yes, Peter Hale has violated many tennets of our law.”

Chris shook his head, “No. His family was burned alive—humans and werewolves alike—for merely being wolves. None of them had committed any crimes. Additionally, Kate raped and abused a teenager to do so. Peter merely took his due revenge.”

Arya clicked her tongue, “Ah, but he turned one without consent.”

Chris knew that would be a sticking point. He knew there was more to be said, but he wasn’t opening any of those doors or walking through them until she brought it in to play.

Araya seemed to take the silence as a win, saying, “So he is forfeit. The others?”

Chris said carefully, “He is not forfeit. He has been accepted by a peaceful pack that is rehabilitating feral wolves.”

“Hmm,” she said. “Sounds to me like an excuse to hide the evil from those who cull the herd.”

Chris didn’t back down, saying, “More like a clean up crew for the wrongs of hunters. Those they have taken in have all be the victims of overly violent and or unlawful acts by hunters.”

Araya grinned, “Is that guilt I hear?”

Chris kept still despite her growingly piercing gaze upon him. “No. It is recognition that we mess up. We are the line that holds back the hoards, but some of us are something else. Certainly not just.”

Araya tilts her head faintly, saying, “Found God have we, Argent?”

Chris shook his head no. “Rather the opposite. I’ve seen the hell unleashed when those with power use it to oppress others.”

Araya seemed to pause at that. She then asked, “Would this be the Alpha that took in the Alpha Pack?”

Chris shrugged, saying, “Yes and no. Some members that were in the Alpha Pack are with him, but not all. Additionally, not all of those wolves from the Alpha Pack are still Alphas. But, they were all abused, tortured, killed, and or otherwise wronged by one Gerard Argent, including Deucalion who was tortured, disabled, and sexually assaulted by Gerard the second time my blood donor captured him, not counting when Deucalion was blinded when meeting with Gerard for what the wolf believed to be peace talks.’

“Gerard Argent is an excellent example of a hunter not only not following the code, but also being a sadistic, sexually violent, serial killer who enjoys torturing others, including at least two documented cases of him abusing and torturing humans. One of which did not even fully know about the supernatural the first time Gerard Argent kidnapped and tortured him.”

Araya gave pause. “Are you intending to kill Gerard for these crimes?”

Chris shook his head again, saying, “No, I have entered an alliance with the pack taking in Gerard’s victims. The Alpha of that pack has decided that the remaining Hales should be who destroyed Gerard Argent for the human children he contributed to murdering in the fire as well as the abuse he encouraged Kate to enact on an innocent minor to get the information to kill those children.”

With an almost feral grin, Araya asked, “Would that include the Hale I possess?”

Chris shook his head again, “No. It would be his surviving nieces and nephew. Peter Hale and the others you’ve captured of the alpha’s pack was part of the deal I made with him for you and yours to be able to peacefully leave his territory. Otherwise, he has made clear this is an act, a declaration, of war.”

Araya scoffed. “What wolf could dare stand up to the Calavera family? We are here for higher priorities than this Alpha’s vengeance.”

Chris chuckled. “You do not understand. That human I mentioned… the one Gerard tortured when the kid barely knew anything about the supernatural? He is the human Alpha of the pack that includes the remaining members of the Alpha Pack as well as the remaining Hale wolves as well as other refuges from one of Gerard Argent’s torture bases.’

“Are you really ready to bet your entire family against a human who has caused wolves to bow to him?”

Araya laughed herself, “So, a child who will be gutted by the wolves once he is of no more use? Ridiculous!”

Chris shook his head. “You’ll see. He seeks to meet with you. I am a welcoming committee in a sense. He is willing to meet you and talk with you. He would like to show you why you do not want a war with him. I would warn, he is quite angry. Gerard Argent’s attack that you took advantage of has already cost the pack. He is no mood for games.”

She looked to him as though he had lost his mind. “What could a human do to intimidate me into cooperating with him that no wolf has before?”

Chris said genuinely, “You will get a chance to make your choice. He’s certainly something that you can’t believe without seeing.”

Araya then said, “Where would he like to meet?”

Chris smiled with genuinely unhinged intensity, “At the warhouse where you are keeping his betas. He’s already there, waiting.”

Araya frowned, “No. How would he know? You told him?!”

Chris shook his head. “No, he and his pack found it, like they found this place.”

------------------------------

Four SUVs pulled up outside of the warehouse that held the Calaveras’ prisoners. All the car doors opened once the vehicles were shut off.

Chris was pushed out one of the doors, his wrist tied together with a zip cord. He seemed entirely too casual about it all for the other hunters to feel even remotely calm.

After Christopher Argent was more visible, Stiles stepped out of the shadows where his presence had been obscured with Cora to one side of him as well as Lydia, Allison, and his Dad, the Sheriff in full uniform, on the other side.

Stiles kept himself loose. He had a side arm in his open carry shoulder holster. His bat was strapped up and slung over his back. He also had no shirt on. Even though he felt incredibly vulnerable, he wore his scars for them all to see. In so many ways, it was a sickening sight.

Once he knew Araya and the others had climbed out of the vehicles, Stiles spoke, “I want my betas back. In exchange, I will destroy La Loba. She shall be torn to shreds. Once dead, I will bring her to you. I will then remove her head and leave you the body if you would like.”

Araya moved forward, seemingly unarmed yet unflinching no less. She seemed curious.

One of her hunters mouthed off, “Let the wolves carve you like a tree?”

Stiles’ eyes immediately moved to the young hunter, clearly not as weathered as some of the others. Stiles then grinned far too widely, “No”

As he spoke, Stiles pointed to the relevant scar, “These are the names of the Hale wolves Gerard Argent claimed credit for killing as he and his hunters carved into my flesh. These on my back are the names of the other victims he claims credit for ending. There were more, I know,’

“But I escaped first. My pack came for me, like I’ve come for them and have done before now, and will do well past my dying day. These are from Einchein, Echo House, as some call it, from when I was sent there for a brief stay after losing my mother. These are from my Mother while she was losing her mind to disease. These are from me—self hate is a dangerous thing. Ah, and this? This is the bite of my mate. A mate you have behind you in that warehouse.”

The young hunter flinched.

Araya pulled a handgun from no where and shot the young hunter between the eyes before stepping a bit closer. “And why am I to release this wolf?”

Stiles smiled, “Deualion?”

The Demon Wolf stepped out of the shadows to stand beside Stiles.

Stiles continued, “This is Peter Hales’ other mate. They’re already bonded—married as it may be said, in the old way.”

The teen continued, “As such, either you must release Peter or face Deualion. But, more concerning, really, is me. You are far from home, Head of the Calaveras hunting family. Very, very far. You are in my territory without formal request to enter or really any other kind of welcome. You have taken my betas without cause. You can claim what you like about Peter Hale, but he’s not messed up but once, and he’s paid his dues on that front, I assure you. Chris and Allison can testify to that as well.’

“And, beyond that, the only reason any of you are still standing is both that I am in no rush to start a war I assure you that you will not win and that we both want the same thing right now: the end to La Loba. I’m more than happy to see her destroyed, quite viscerally. She has taken the man who was the innocent child she raped as well as Peter’s beta that he had turned. She is sure to assault and kill them. Even if you want to claim that Peter is evil or even that I am, Derek Hale is not. Scott McCall is not. They are both innocent in this, and we need our betas to destroy her. She knows how hunters work. Gerard Argent didn’t want peace or even the destruction of the supernatural as can be seen if you caught a look at him in all of this as he clearly wants or at least did the bite to stop his cancer. He doesn’t want to police, he wants to rule and destroy as he sees fit. He had no code. He has no morals. Family doesn’t matter either as he intended to rape his own granddaughter to create another, as he put it, better Kate.’

“Is that really where you want to stand? Aligned with that monster? Or do you want La Loba gone and all of us out of your hair. We don’t want a fight. We’re happy to stay in Beacon County and mind our own damn business. Let us do that. We want peace and to be left alone. We offer you the same.”

Araya did not seem sold.

Chris then twisted his arms just right to break the zip-tie on his wrists. “I think you should take him up on this. Kate and Gerard are enemies to all of us. Better to let these people destroy them, especially with what’s been loose in the area.”

Araya furrowed her brow, “What has been loose?”

“Fey,” Chris said. “Gerard made a deal with them. It’s why he’s alive. They want him dead though and are hunting for who helped him as well as anyone else who aligns with him.”

Araya frowned. “I need proof.”

“Of fey?” Stiles asked, wanting clarification.

Araya shook her head, “No. Proof that you’ll destroy Kate rather than ‘rehabilitating’ her as well as proof that you are peaceful and that Peter is rehabilitated.”

Stiles smiled. “So, you acknowledge that the others you have are innocent?”

She sighed. “They so far seem to have no information on what we seek, but Peter is better trained. He was taught to endure these things in a way the others were not.”

Stiles nodded, “Then please let them loose? As far as proof we won’t rehabilitate Kate, the proof is in the pudding. She has one of her past victims in her hands right now. I would skin her alive if I hadn’t offered to provide proof we’d killed her to you. She’s a monster.”

Noah then spoke, “And, in this situation, supernatural or otherwise, child abuse is never acceptable.”

Stiles then continued, “If you let Peter loose too, I can show you the proof you seek that he is rehabilitated. I know this is not ideal, but there are limits in a world like our where the attitude of hunters leans toward kill now to prevent issue later.”

--------------------------------

At the same time, cloaked via magic emblems hanging from her neck, the long, large female dragon was soaring the skies looking for signs of Kate and Gerard Argent. They were not working together, but they were both at large in the area.

Although she disliked being away from her hatchlings, the dragon was grateful to know her mate, her husband was with them and others to protect them. She knew she had died but still wanted to be careful. Returning once did not mean there was a second time.

Both she and her children had gotten lucky. She did not intend to gamble things away recklessly just because they got lucky this time.

--------------------------------

The hunters, the Calaveras brought out a slumped Peter who seemed genuinely dazed. He was bloodied but slowly healing. The man, the wolf had certainly seen better days. His shirt was gone as were his shoes and socks. The hunters were carrying his weight.

Stiles had to hold back a feral growl that demanded to be released in rage and sympathy for Peter.

Stiles reminded himself that he had to be strong, had to hold it together for his pack, including Peter.

Erica and Isaac were brought out too.

Erica was bloody, but her eyes were blazing. She spit blood at one of her captors as they were dragging her out.

Stiles growled low, “Erica.”

The teen girl’s eyes stopped flashing and became wet with unshed tears of relief. She didn’t smile, but her eyes had hope.

Isaac was being carried out bridal style. His eyes were open but he seemed in a daze, awake but gone.

Stiles used all he was to hold himself together. Freaking out now would not help them. Instead, he said, lowly, “Please set them on the ground.”

Araya held up her hand, “Not the Hale.”

Stiles held in the curse words he’d love to hurl at her. instead, he caught to huge pile of blonde curls and crazy that landed in his arms without warning.

She held him too close, too tight. She grasped at him and took deep breathes of him seemingly assuring herself that he was there, real and here for them.

Stiles ran his hands through her hair, whispering to her, “I’ve got you. Just hold it together for a little longer. I’ve got you. Please grab Isaac. We’ll help him when we’re away from this place.”

Erica nodded, agreeing wetly, “Okay.”

She slowly let him go to go grab Isaac up off the ground where he’d been set.

Stiles stepped forward and past Erica and what she was doing.

Stiles moved to Peter even as Araya seemed ready to murder them all at just the wrong move.

Stiles then cupped Peter’s cheeks with both his hands, letting the Nogitsune flush into the other man to help him. Stiles pressed his forehead to Peter’s. he then said softly, “Come on Peter, come back to me.”

Slowly, Peter seemed to become aware again, his eyes rolling open and awareness coming to him.

Stiles moved back carefully, saying, “Chris, please come here. Allison, you too, please.”

Both Argents came forward.

Stiles took out his pistol from his holster slowly, showing everyone what he was doing and that he was not about to start firing on people. He slowly lifted it up and offered it to Allison and Chris.

It was Chris who took it. He did not leave this to his daughter.

Stiles then spoke, “Peter, do you trust me?”

Peter nodded, his voice smoker’s cough, saying “Yes, Alpha.”

Stiles then nodded to Chris.

Christopher Argent then moved to Araya, taking out one of the bullets from the weapon to show her the type of bullet: an Argent classic of dual Wolf’s Bane strands. It wasn’t a lethal dose necessarily, but it was going to hurt like crazy.

Stiles then asked Peter, “do you trust me?”

Peter looked to him, nodding again, “Yes. I can rest, be calm because you will take care of me.”

Nodding, Stiles then asked Peter, “Would you let Christopher Argent shoot you with my pistol?”

Peter whined but nodded, “Yes, Alpha. If that is what you need from me.”

Stiles nodded, saying, “I’m sorry, but right now, I need you to let this happen. I will explain it more later, but for now, this is our proof.”

Stiles then looked to Araya as she nodded in approval of what she’d seen.

Once she’d okay-d it, Stiles said, “Chris, please shoot Peter.”

Chris nodded, using the weapon in his hand from the stiles, and shot Peter in the left shoulder.

In response the wolf howled but neither flashed his eyes nor attacked anyone, including but not limited to the hunters helping him stand.

Araya sighed, seemingly displeased with the results, but she nodded to the hunters holding him.

Deucalion came forward then and scooped Peter up into his arms.

Stiles and his started backing up as Stiles said, we will return here to show you the body once Kate Argent is dead. We’ll send to you notification to come here at the house where Chris met with you.”

-----------------------------

Back at Peter’s apartment, the pack, what of it was not captured, rushed Isaac and Peter into the apartment.

Peter was put down on the floor—no one wanted to hear his anger if they ruined it comfy leather couch. Stiles moved and straddled his hips, pouring the necessary Wolf’s Bane into the bullet wound before burning it out as Peter roared and howled in pain.

Once the flames were out, Stiles pressed both his hands over the wound, whispering rapidly over and over as he forced healing into Peter.

Chris was there, but he stayed on the outskirts of the situation. He was digging his nails into his own palms, working to keep control of himself.

Peter whined through grit teeth. One eye black and one blue, once the wound was closed from Peter’s healing and Stiles magic, Peter and the Nogitsune spoke as one, “Were we the only caught?”

Isaac was laid on the couch. Boyd stood by the couch, hugging Erica close with one arm while the other brushed over Isaac’s forehead.

Stiles shook his head, “No. Gerard has Theo… killed Grit. Kate has Derek and Scott.”

Peter growled.

Stiles hugged Peter close, whispering, “I know, I know. We’ll get them back too. We will…”

Peter held Stiles close, not commenting on the Alpha shaking. Things were not going to get any easier soon, so why point out the issue so soon.

-----------------

Tunstall burst into the apartment, throwing Levander across the livingroom floor.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: blood, guns, gunfire, bullet wound, referenced torture**

I hope you are enjoying the story so far!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

Chapter 20: Deals & Reveals

Summary:

Fey. Reveals. Leaving. Volunteers. Plan.

Notes:

I hope you like some of the reveals!

**Trigger warnings** in end note

Tunstall burst into the apartment, throwing Levander across the livingroom floor. Both fey creatures were bloodied. Tunstall demanded in a roaring, guttural holler, “Tell them! Tell them!”

Levander rolled over and sat up, saying, “It changes nothing.”

Tunstall spit at the gnome—“Tell them! They have a right to know!”

It was then that Tunstall saw Isaac.

The Leprechaun’s eyes went wide. He rushed to the teen’s side, grunted, “See where your lies lead!”

The Leprechaun gently patted each of Isaac’s cheeks not even getting the teen to blink.

Stiles forced himself up and off of Peter, asking, “What’s going on?”

He was so tired. They just keep losing. They kept being kicked and kicked and Stiles had to have Peter let himself be shot. When was enough enough?! Would anything ever be enough? Would they ever be safe? Would any of this ever end?!

Boyd growled, still holding Erica close,

Peter groaned, slowly sitting up.

Tunstall threw a magic spark of fire at Levander’s beard: “TELL THEM!”

Levander quashed the fire in his hand.

At the same time, Peter said, “Please keep fire out of my residence. I am quite averse to it.”

The older man came to Peter’s side, pulling the man into a close hug, snuffling at his shoulder.

While Peter looked lost at the attention he was receiving, Tunstall hurled himself onto Levander, hitting at the old-seeming gnome.

Levander threw Tunstall across the room before standing up to his full gnome height, grandiose if short. “I will. Will you just get a hold of yourself, Tunstall?! It takes a moment to find my words.”

Levander levitated while sitting cross-legged. It was surreal to say the least. The fey creature waved a hand over himself and all the blood and cuts, burns, and scars all went away. Whether it was healing or a glamour spell was indistinguishable.

The gnome then said, “I would like to start with saying that I am not perfect. I have been trying to right things, but no one is perfect, and choices were made.”

Levander then stepped back down to have both feet on the ground. He moved to Isaac’s side, stroking his cheek in seeming remorse before saying, “I was captured. By Gerard Argent. He kept me, tortured me. He used every bit of knowledge he’d gleaned in his age. He forced his way into a deal with me. It’s why he survived so many bite rejections. The bite he forced on Derek was not the first, nor the last.’

“I didn’t want the deal, but it was my only way out by the end. He really wanted immortality. I told him I could not do that. I am a lesser fey. He’d need someone else. Unfortunately, it caused him to hunt fey. He did it quietly as he did not want competition. Hence my efforts to help free others he’s captured since.’

“As a further consequence, Kate Argent managed to make a deal with the Countess Bathory, though Kate did not recognize her by that identity. She made a deal to appear younger and live as long as who she claimed was her true love—Derek Hale.”

Peter growled at that, but did not really try to move too much. “Are you saying that for her to die, he must die too?!”

Levander didn’t flinch. He didn’t even seem repentant. “Yes. When she dies, it won’t be permanent unless he dies too. That’s why she turned when you killed her rather than having bite rejection, or in your cause, claw rejection from being around so many anti-Werewolf materials. She would turn or in some way live regardless because Derek lived.”

Stiles set a hand on Peter’s shoulder, whispering through their Nogitsune connection in touch, ‘We’ll figure this out.’

Tunstall glared at Levander—“All of it!”

Levander flinched at that. It seemed the gnome feared Tunstall more than a once feral werewolf. “Deaton made a deal with the Countess too, but he did recognize her as Elizabeth Bathory. He assumed she was truly her without question. He made demands. She listened to him and made her own choices. He was much, much older than you believed. Deaton was easily a hundred years old. He’d demanded more time. The price that she enforced, not that he knew it at the time because he assumed his ‘purity’ and ‘righteousness’ deemed him inherently worthy, was that his magic weakened. His power was lowered every year.’

“It’s why he did things as he did and made deals with hunters and other creatures continuously for power. He had gotten his longevity, but he had to fight to maintain power to continue what he saw as his righteous crusade. The man also considered Scott to be his soldier, his King Arther to Deaton’s Merlin. I don’t think he really thought about that factually but more in fictional terms: what he may have seen or heard of as a child.”

Henri came into the room, gently setting a hand on Chris’ shoulder, “Sorry to interrupt, but it is time for us to go.”

Levander, seeing Henri, blanched. “He’s with you now too?”

Stiles growled, surprisingly wolf-like despite his being human. “Why do you fear that?”

Henri looked to the gnome, sighing, “Because at one time, I saved him. I freed him from Gerard who never kept his bargains. I gave him a chance to turn things around.”

Levander was quick to speak, “And, I have. I sent this Alpha a vision of his Mother to help guide him and have had my finger in helping them in any ways I can. I am trying to undo the misdeeds I have contributed to! I cannot take back a bargain, a deal, but I can help others end it indirectly. I cannot kill Gerard or Kate Argent to undo things, but I can guide others toward that end.”

Henri did not look sold.

Levander stepped forward toward Henri even as growls erupted around the room. The gnome offered open hands to Henri as he knelt before the Argent Dire Wolf, “I am doing as I swore I would to you. I cannot directly act. I have been taken in by the Countess… well, taken as a servant as restitution for Kate finding and making a deal with her. If not for my misdeed, the countess would never be in this mess at all. I must serve my Lady first and fix this second. One pebble at a time until the fall.’

“I will not betray you for to you a life debt I owe. It merely takes time and positioning. It takes the right weapon and the correct hand to wield it. I have found a True Alpha in Stiles as well as helped to guide him toward a larger, more powerful pack. He’s gaining strengths even when he cannot see. It is his war now, but I am giving him all I can to help him win it and put things to right.”

Stiles growled again, letting go of Peter and moving toward Levander, “You’ve used us as pawns?! You’ve been leading us to our deathes?!”

Levander turned to Stiles, leaving his palms open and staying his knees. “No, I have led you to finishing what you sought to finish. You can free the Hales from their past, finish Peter’s revenge. You can free the world from the Argent’s taint. You can heal your pack and bring them a better future. You don’t give up, and that is your greatest strength. I have only brought you more who need you and will help you attain all you need! I have never betrayed you or led you toward ill through my intent. Yes, things have gone wrong, but I cannot foresee the future only do my best to lead you toward the best possible outcome that I can.”

Tunstall then spoke up—“Fix Isaac. If you truly see yourself as helping, help him! He took our words and let us guide him and look at him! You’ve led him to a dark fate!”

Levander shook his head. “He is not in a dark fate. He is in a trance. The Countess has taken him again. She has taken him for more. He will not be gone long, but she spared him consciousness of torture and is teaching him. She is rewarding his actions and choices thus far. It is beyond my power, but he will be okay, more fey-touched than before.”

Allison moved to her father, hugging him close, “Please don’t go!”

Chris held her gently, tense as he fought the drive to turn her or hold her too tightly to him. “I must. It is not safe for me to stay.”

Victoria moved to Chris and held him close too, aware she could not hurt him with her strength, even as an Alpha. “I will come for you when this is finished.”

Alex then walked in with an unconscious Sam slung over his shoulder.

Henri then said, “You are welcome to join us after these battles are done, should your Alpha agree. But until then, be safe. Do not let him ‘needing time to learn’ damage your ability to be loyal and brave.”

-----------------

After Henri, Alex with Sam over his shoulder, and Chris gave their final good byes and left, Stiles turned to those currently there. He opened his mouth only to be interrupted by the female dragon barging into the apartment through the front door, slamming it behind her.

The female dragon was panting, not something any of them had yet seen. After a moment catching her breath and her hatchlings and husband rushed to join and cuddle her, she said, “I’ve found Kate Argent. She has about a dozen Beserkers, but she is on the fringe of the preserve in an abandoned cabin.”

Stiles didn’t like hearing about more berserkers, but he understood the price would be high no matter what. Rolling his shoulders, Stiles asked, because he refused to order them into this right now, “Who would be willing to join me to fight to free Derek and Scott? As well as to kill Kate once and for all.”

Peter whimpered, but he forced himself to his feet. “I will. I have a plan with the Nogitsune to help with the Derek aspect of this… once he’s dead.”

Cora roared—“NO! We can’t kill him! We can’t! Stiles, tell him we can’t!”

Stiles shook his head. “We have to. I’m so sorry, but we must.”

Peter then said, “But he doesn’t have to stay dead.”

Levander nodded. “That is true. But he has to be dead when you kill Kate. Or death will not stick to her.”

Cora cried even as she nodded. She still looked ferally angry, but at hearing the death would not be permanent, Cora nodded again and said, “Then I will come too. I cannot let him go through this alone.”

Laura too stood. “Agreed. I will help as well.”

Peter nodded to them. He then said even as tears ran down his face, “And I will do it. I will kill him. He already hates me. I won’t make anyone else do it. It’s my fault this all happened in the first place. I should’ve been better. I should’ve been able to keep her from him. I should’ve been better.”

Cora and Laura both hugged Peter. Neither judged, agreed, nor disagreed. They just held him both to comfort him as well as themselves.

Stiles looked to the others.

The old man nodded, saying, “I will go as well. I can’t leave them to this alone. It is also my fault. I should’ve been honest from the start. I am Raphael Hale. I was—am Talia’s Uncle based on what I’ve learned since being free. I am her mother’s brother.”

Cora pulled him into the hug too even though he seemed unsure about it.

Malia moved forward, “I’ll help to. Whether I am a Hale or not, no one should be tortured by hunters.”

Alice raised her hand, volunteering to go too.

Stiles nodded to her and the others, proud.

Tunstall then spoke, “Levander and I will remain here with Isaac to help him when he wakes from the trance.”

Levander slumped some but nodded. It seemed he’d been worn out by all the telling of what had been going on all along.

The female dragon said, “We can watch the fox kit with our hatchlings and anyone left behind.”

Noah stood unsteadily, “I’ll go.”

Mel grabbed his arm and guided him back to sitting, “You will not. You need rest.”

Agent McCall said, “May I help?”

Stiles was honest with a gleam of mischief in his eyes, “Actually, I have something else you could do that would help more than going with us. Ally, could you help too?”

Ally wiped her tears on her arm before looking to Stiles, saying, “Yes, if Lydia can join me.”

Stiles nodded. “I’m fine with that. I want you guys to look into these Druids. Keep it on the downlow. Do not make contact with them. That includes your superiors, Agent McCall. They are spelling people to get their way. We cannot risk them fucking with you guys.”

McCall nodded, “And my son?”

Stiles said, “I will get him back.”

Kali stepped up, “I’ll help fight the Bereserkers. I’d also like to take Victoria with me.”

Eyes flashing red semi-consistently, Victoria growled, “No one is bossing me. What if I’m more needed with my daughter?”

Stiles wasn’t so sure that was a good idea. So he asked Allison: “Do you need backup?”

Ally shook her head, “No. I figure we can go to your house—McCall can be ‘investigating’ your Dad and Lydia and I are just there. I can defend there, especially with the traps you put in with the weapons hidden around.”

Stiles smiled at her. He loved how well she knew his paranoia and prep for things. “Then that’s okay. Victoria, will you please come with us? I feel like you may enjoy taking out some rage on someone whose earned it. Afterall, Kate was the inspiration for what Gerard wanted to do to Allison.”

Victoria growled ferally.

Stiles nodded, taking that as a yes.

Jackson moved to before Stiles. He tilted his head in submission, but said, “I’m not fucking bowing though. I’m doing this for Danny and Derek.”

Stiles bit his lip to keep from grinning at that. Instead, he nodded, and said, “Thank you, Jackson.”

Danny moved forward and tilted his head even though he’d already submitted. “Just want you to know I’m here to help because I want to.”

Stiles, thinking, changed things a bit. “Actually, Danny and Jackson, you should go with Allison. Danny’s skills could be helpful, and Jackson can help with Danny’s wolf. That work for you two?”

Jackson nodded.

Danny said, “Sure.”

Stiles nodded. He went and grabbed one of the maps of the preserve that Peter kept around before approaching the female dragon, asking, “Can you show me where to go?”

She pointed to a spot on the map, and then motioned around it, “That’s where she is. Her Berserkers are ringed around in this way. “

Stiles nodded, saying, “Okay, Dad and Mel? Kira? Stay here with the dragons and the fox kit.”

He looked around then before continuing, “Everyone, we know where we’re all going. Those with me, we’re taking the front entrance for in case the druids are trying to follow us. Ally, take the others through the back along the ways to hide your path. Consider yourself once more part of the pack.”

Allison nodded, tilted her neck to him before saying—“Whatever it takes.”

She still looked rough due to her father leaving, but she was all Victoria in her stony face and all-business attitude. “We have to protect.”

Stiles felt like she’d said those words more for herself and possibly Victoria than for the rest of them, but it was hard to say. Stiles just did not have the senses the wolves did. But, alas, that may prove to save them as he would not be affected by the same weapons Kate would use on them possibly.

Stiles took a slow and not so steady breath, reloaded himself up with Mountain Ash, bullets in both his shoulder holster and ankle holster. He also slipped on a black t-shirt under his shoulder holster and his red zip up hoodie over it to hide his weapon before he slung his baseball bat with runes, herbs, and barbwire over his shoulder.

This in no way was going to be an act of peace or even mercy. It was going to be a series of necessities and getting Scott and Derek back.

Notes:

**Trigger warnings: weapons, guns, violence, shooting, blood, torture, murder, referenced intended rape, abuse**

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the update/chapter!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

Chapter 21: End Game

Summary:

Kate. Hunters. 3x3. Magic. Violence. Foxes. Wolves. Death. Countess. Marin.

Notes:

I hope you enjoy this longer chapter! Just one more chapter left

**Trigger Warnings** in end note (includes a minor spoiler)

Stiles took a slow and not so steady breath, reloaded himself up with Mountain Ash, bullets in both his shoulder holster and ankle holster. He also slipped on a black t-shirt under his shoulder holster and his red zip up hoodie over it to hide his weapon before he slung his baseball bat with runes, herbs, and barbwire over his shoulder.

This in no way was going to be an act of peace or even mercy. It was going to be a series of necessities and getting Scott back along with Derek’s body.

He made sure to text all relevant parties. This was bigger than he was saying.

----------------------------

Coming up on the boundary line—roughly—where the female dragon had indicated was right before the Berserker ring, Stiles halted them all. He spoke in whispers only the close wolves would hear: “Kali and Victoria, you take the left. Cora and Raphael take the right. Peter, Laura, and I are going through the middle. Keep an eye out for who you may be facing. There is a risk that Kate has turned Derek and or Scott into Bereserkers. Those of us going down the middle are going to try to rush to the cabin for if Derek and or Scott are there being tortured. If anyone finds one, howl once. If you find both? Howl twice. More howling? You’re signaling you need help. If anyone finds Kate—kill her if you want, but do not tear her apart. We’ve promised her body parts to others and need to make sure to get it right.”

Once everyone nodded, they broke apart into assigned teams and got moving.

Stiles rolled his shoulders before touching alura’s shoulder. He said softly, “I know you may not trust me yet, but I need you to follow Peter and me. We’re hoping to get everyone in and out whole.”

Laura nodded in response.

Cora was in tears over the situation but pissed when she left with Raphael.

As he moved forward, Stiles noted that Kali and Victoria took off in a run. Seemed the two were more than ready for some murder games in a sense.

Stiles wasn’t ready, but he knew it didn’t matter. Life never waited for you to be ready.

He got moving while seeing that Laura took his back as Peter cut in front of him. It was a unit of a line in a sense.

Before they got too far, Stiles got a call—a dragon’s roar as the male dragon landed near him.

The dragon said, “Retreat! It’s a trap! My wife is warning the others! We have to get out of here!”

Stiles growled. He then looked to Peter, saying, “You and Laura, run for Cora and Raphael. The dragon and I will run for Victoria and Kali. Then retreat fully back to my place, not your apartment.”

Stiles nodded to the dragon before starting to run for Kali and Victoria while texting one handedly to call off others he had texted.

Quickly, Stiles stuffed back in his pocket his phone and hauled booty to the others. He literally slammed into Kali just as she was pinning down a feral Victoria.

The female dragon, caught and pulled Stiles away before he could dislodge Kali.

Being steady on his feet, Stiles looked to Kali, asking, “What’s happening?”

Kali was quick, “She won’t walk or run away. She’s gone feral in her drive to hunt and kill Kate Argent.”

Stiles growled in frustration. He then looked to the male dragon—“Fly for the others. We’ve got this.”

Kali looked to him, perking a brow in question.

Understanding, Stiles nodded, moving closer. Her placed a hand on the back of Kali’s neck and the back of Victoria’s neck even as the latter growled and slobbered ferally.

Stiles looked Kali, “Are you sure you’ve got this?”

Kali nodded. “If Deuc can, so can I.”

Stiles nodded before closing his eyes. With a silent howl of his own in pain, Stiles ripped the Alpha spark out of Victoria and shoved it into Kali.

The teen then collapsed. He was still conscious, but he was weakened for the moment.

Kali leaned down and bite Victoria’s shoulder to muffle her howl into the shock woman.

Kali then forced herself onto her feet, growling at Victoria to assert her dominance upon the feral wolf, knowing the woman’s strong will was crazed and running too many directions to fully fight Kali just yet. She looked to both Victoria and the female dragon. Kali then lifted Stiles up into a bridal carry. Kali then stared down Victoria until the woman tilted her head, submitting to the new alpha before turning fully into a wolf.

Kali nodded then told the female dragon, “Fly for Peter’s apartment. Rally them and bring them to Stiles’ home. Deucalion and Noah should know the way and they’re already at Peter’s.”

With Stiles in her arms, Kali took off at supernatural speed with Victoria on her heels as they ran for Stiles’ house.

---------------------

The Stilinski house…

Entering through the back door, Kali let Victoria in first before bringing Stiles into the house. She was careful not to knock him around.

Though he was gaining more energy slowly, Stiles did not have too much time to improve as the run to his house was so fast.

Once fully in the kitchen, Kali took note of Agent McCall and Allison Argent at the dining room table. There was no Lydia to be seen, but the toilet upstairs was flushed. Perhaps that was her?

Allison, upon seeing Kali carrying Stiles, hopped right up and rushed to them—“What happened?”

Kali gently moved past the huntress turned temp pack mate and laid Stiles on the couch. She then turned to Allison and a newly attentive McCall: “It was a trap. The female dragon came and warned us. Have any of the others returned yet?”

Allison shook her head no.

At the same time, a near-feral Peter was thrown through the back door only to be followed by a bloodied but still standing Raph Hale who was shortly followed by Laura and Cora. Laura appeared fine if tearful. Cora, on the other hand, was bloodied, with ripped clothes.

Raph Hale then roared at Peter.

Peter flashed his red eyes, rearing to leap into another attack when Stiles whined, “Peter?”

That snapped Peter out of wherever it was his mind had gone. He turned and threw himself over to Stiles, grabbing up the teen, pressing him to Peter’s chest, Peter took a shakey breath. He whispered—or seemed to think he did—“I can’t do this… I can’t do this again.”

Stiles gently ran a shaking hand through Peter’s hair, murmuring softly, “And, I won’t make you. I won’t. I’ve got you. I won’t make you do this.”

Peter leaned into Stiles as he set the teen back on the couch. Peter buried his face in Stiles’ soft stomach, crying.

Stiles kept running his shaking finger through Peter’s hair. Calmly, Stiles told Kali, “Make sure everyone makes it here. I don’t care what it takes. We need to be together.”

Stiles then raised his voice further, “Ally, I need you to reach out to Alpha Ilto and request her presence. We’re going to need help. Get ahold of Henri and Alex too. I want to at least talk to them.”

Kali responded, “Yes, Alpha. May I leave the house to do so?”

Stiles whined softly at the back of his throat, but then said, “Yes. Make sure Levander and Tunstall come as well. We’ll need their and Isaad’s help too. Also, ask Kira to get ahold of her Mother for her to come here too.”

Stiles kept petting Peter’s hair.

Cora and Laura moved closer to hold their uncle.

Kali watched as Raph Hale moved closer, asking, “Does this mean Derek wasn’t there?”

Stiles pants out, “I don’t know. I have to talk to the others to find out. I only know what the female dragon shared about it being a trap. We’ll know soon though, I hope.”

Clearly in pain, Stiles grit his teeth.

Kali moved to him, softly sliding a hand up under the cuff of his jeans to pull of of his pain only to quickly rip her hand away: it was too much pain. She looked into Stiles’ eyes, but the teen shook his head no.

Kali nodded even though she didn’t like it.

Just then, Lydia emerged down the stairs, followed by Jackson and Danny.

When she saw Stiles and the others, Lydia asked, “What happened?”

Ally answered first, “It was a trap. We’ll learn more when the others get here.”

Kali then took that as her cue to leave to make sure the others made it.

--------------------------

Stiles tried to hold it in, hold in the pain. He could feel it all too real. His pack bonds were dilated—he could feel what Scott and Derek were going through.

He’d opened himself up too much to transfer the Alpha spark from Victoria to Kali and it wasn’t shrinking back to normal. This wasn’t right, but Stiles had no idea what to do. He knew they were suffering, but he still had been forced to retreat.

Even though he was in pain from magic over use and feeling the others’ damage, including Raph and Peter’s from their fighting, even Cora’s, Stiles had to hold it together, had to clamp down on the pain, on his anger, on all of it.

Stiles let his mind start making plans. He had to deal with so many aspects without enough information. Maybe what Isaac was going through would help fill in some blanks?

For now, Stiles knew he needed to get Scott and Derek back. He knew he had to end Kate, which included killing Derek if only for a time. He also knew Gerard had to die. This coming back thing had to be stopped. He needed to be permanently taken out of the equation. He also had to get Theo back.

In a strange way, Stiles was both grateful and scared by having accepted Theo’s submission as he was taken. Now, Stiles could feel his torture too. Stiles could also feel even more, knew even more. He understood Theo better than before. Stiles understood that Theo had trauma bonded to him when they’d been tortured and molested by Theo’s father.

So many things made more sense. Being more open to Scott, Stiles could see all the insecurities and desperation for belonging and love. He could see the effects of divorce, his father’s drinking and his mother working long hours to keep them fed. Stiles could sympathize more than ever.

Derek was the hardest, not due to the physical torture, but the self-blaming and self-hate… the fear and dread and regrets, the memories of abuse and molestation by Kate. It was horrifying!

Whether Stiles’ eyes were opened or closed, he could see it all. Not just them. It was that way with his entire pack. He could feel their fears and worries and hopes and memories of the good and the horrible. It was too much, but he couldn’t shut it out without rejecting his pack, and he could never do that to them.

Swallowing hard, Stiles tried to focus. He could do this. They needed him. He couldn’t quit or surrender. They needed him and nothing less than everything he had needed to be put toward fixing all of this. He couldn’t walk away.

Gritting his teeth with his eyes closed, still petting Peter’s hair with shaking hands as the older wolf cried into his stomach, Stiles ordered his mind:

All things in threes

Thrice cursed

Kate and Derek’s fate intertwined

Raphael Hale

Stiles swallowed hard, stopping from listing. That did not really help. It just repeated what he already knew. No, he needed a plan.

To do things right, he’d need to do whatever came next in the preserve. Ideally, at the Nemeton. That beast of a mythic tree could take care of bodies that he didn’t already owe to others. Plus, when all was done, Stiles could call the Countess to claim her part of Kate’s body.

Okay, step one, done.

Step two? That was already started. Everyone was heading their way. He could take stock of resources and what they all knew. He then could break things into threes. Everything happens in threes.

It was then that the front and back doors of the house opened and his pack poured in. The dragons and their children were coming in the back with Isaac and the fey as well as Deucalion.

Through the front came everyone else came.

Stiles forced his eyes open while he refuse the tears in his eyes. He kept petting Peter who sat up, quickly wiping his eyes to hide what he’d been doing like no one would notice the wet patch on Stiles’ hoodie.

Noah came in straight to his son, asking, “Are you okay?! Isaac told us it was a trap. Did the dragons get to you in time?”

Stiles nodded faintly, “They got to us in time.”

Noah frowned, “Then why are you laid out?”

Stiles tried to shrug, but he couldn’t bring himself to—too much pain. “Magic consequences. It’ll get better.”

Peter moved to touch Stiles’ neck to pull pain.

Stiles said, “Don’t.”

Peter perked a brow—“Why?”

Stiles chuffed without humor.

Kali answered before he could. “It’s too much for one wolf to take. Even an Alpha.”

Peter frowned, his eyes flashing red. “You said they got to you in time.”

Stiles laughed shortly, not finding it funny. “They did. I had to do some emergency magic. It had consequences.”

Kali furrowed her brow, then asked, “Was it the spark transfer?”

Stiles nodded faintly. “Usually for something like that, I have the Nogitsune’s help. He guides. I am after all self-trained. I read books and grimiores, when I can get them, but it’s not like anyone is going out of their way to show me how right now. Too much is nearly constantly going on.”

Isaac came up beside Stiles and knelt down. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you sooner.”

Stiles gently lifted a shaking hand to pet Isaac’s arm. “No worries. What is done is done. We’re going to be okay.”

Stiles then forced himself into a sitting up position despite the drive to scream. He then said, “Well, I can say that Kate is not turning Scott nor Derek into Berserkers so far. But they are being tortured. What do you know, Isaac? I presume your chat with the Countess wasn’t just about the trap warning.”

Isaac nodded, seemingly seeing that Stiles was trying to push past what he was going through.

--------------

Isaac then began to speak, “The druids are looking for Deaton’s body. They know he’s dead. They’re using the issues with the county’s high death rates without solved cases leading to an investigation to dig in and find Deaton’s body.’

“They want to bring him back to life and shut down the Nemeton permanently. They think it will bring true balance to the area, not realizing it will further throw off the area and leave it with even less protection. They also know there is a spark here and they know that killing the Nemeton will drive the spark insane like cutting down the Nemeton before drove the last spark in the area to insanity.”

Stiles growled—“Are you talking about my Mom?”

Isaac looked to Stiles and nodded. “Deaton didn’t know who the spark was only that there was one. It was part of why he cut down the Nemeton. That and the tree rejecting him. Deaton wanted its power and loyalty. Neither were things the Nemeton would give him.’

“It’s also why Deaton never trained you. His sect of Druids believe that sparks are unnatural, a perversion of balance. They’ve been doing everything they can to snuff out sparks all together. They seek to kill the Nemeton and the spark here, meaning Stiles.”

Noah stated coldly, “And they will fail. They’ve taken my wife. I will not let them take my son!”

Stiles rubbed his temples before asking, “Why did the Countess tell you these things?”

Isaac knelt back down beside Stiles, saying, “Because I have served her unknowingly multiple times. I found peace and brought real balance to the preserve as have you. We’re seen by her as useful in a sense. The fey want to preserve the Nemeton as well as for it to thrive. We’re helping that happen.’

“Gerard and Kate and the Druids just want to take and take for power. She would like them all to get what they have coming to them. She wants them punished and fed to the Nemeton. She says you may split Kate between her and the Calaveras as long as the Calaveras leave. Otherwise, she wants them fed to the Nemeton as well. She’s really angry about the druids.’

“But, she’s even more angry about what Gerard is doing. He’s trying to secure enough sacrifices to the Nemeton to use it to force her to give him immortality and cure his ailments of failed werewolf bites. She is sick of the Argents trying to change the rules and renege on deals.’

“She told me about Kate’s trap too. It was meant for the Hales. She intended to end the family line in one swing for good. It’s why I sent the dragons to warn you. I couldn’t bear to lose any more family. As it is, I’ve lost everyone biologically related to me. I refuse to lose more.”

Stiles groaned, tilting his head back, “Okay, so, Agent McCall,.. Dad… I’m going to need a big favor. Nogitsune, I’ll need your help as well. Allison, can you grab me some paper and a pen.”

Isaac stood to go grab up the fox kit and cradle it softly to him as he rocked the babe gently. Isaac watched as everyone began to move toward the livingroom to be within Stiles’ eye line with his seemingly weakened body.

Isaac knew better. He knew Stiles wasn’t weak. He just didn’t know that yet, but as the countess said, some things had to wait until the right time.

-----------------

About forty minutes later…

Broken down into three groups by Stiles, the plan was to turn six groups into three groups.

Chris, Henri, and Alex ran alongside Allison, Jackson, Danny, and Alice as one group. They were heading for the cabin that the female dragon had scouted. There were berserkers to deal with and wolves to rescue as well as one Kate Argent to lead elsewhere.

Henri and Alex came back with Chris after a brutal dressing down by Stiles that was horrifying and truthful. With Isaac and Stiles’ information, Stiles demanded they return, asserting that although it may have been unintentional, they had all contributed to the mess that the current pack in the area was having to deal with. The Argents as a whole owed the area and victims alive and dead by ending this fight for good, ending these battles and this violence permanently in part by getting rid of Gerard and Kate Argent for good.

Chris was running in full wolf form and had never felt so free in his life. Even though he was in his early fifties, he felt akin to a teenager as he ran. This was what true freedom was. No wonder Victoria had found peace with her wolf through running together. The experience was amazing!

As he ran, Chris noticed they were getting closer to what had to be the line where they should be running into Berserkers. He wondered when they’d run into the bear-changed once human beasts.

It was then that Henri howled, shaking the very trees around them.

Chris skidded to a stop, turning back in time to see Henri full shifting into a Dire wolf.

Alex said quietly, “Remember, no one who sees us can live.”

Chris nodded as did the others.

Ally had her bow out with an arrow knocked, ready to fire.

Jackson, Danny, and Alice were all in their half forms.

Alex remained human shaped other than the claws he had out.

The control of that earning so much respect from Chris without him even fully thinking it through.

It was then sounds like a rushing bull plowing through some shrubs and trees right toward them broke out into the air. Soon, it was visible: a huge berserker!

Stiles had assured them that neither Scott nor Derek were Berserkers yet, so they knew this couldn’t be either of them.

Chris howled then growled ferally at the berserker.

Alex demanded, “Chris, Allison, Alice… run for the cabin. We’ve got this!”

Henri, Jackson, and Danny fanned out some with Alex to take on the massive Berserker who was likely only the first they’d be facing. It was their job to cull the Berserker herd in full.

Chris nodded and cowed Allison to run in front of him so he could make sure she was not at any point left behind as Alice ran ahead.

Although it could have been forever, the adrenaline helped as Christ threw his entire body through the cabin door only to be hit with electricity. Instead of crumbling as a normal wolf may at such high intensity, Chris merely shifted to human form, his jeans but nothing else shifting with him to human.

He ripped the taser pins shot into him out as he looked at his little sister who grinned cruelly.

Kate grinned, saying, “I see you take after Dad after all when the cards are down. Kill with your claws yet? Did it feel good?”

Near Kate but on the other side of her from Chris was Derek and Scott. Both were hooked up to fencing with electricity coursing through it and them. Scott was trying to growl and roar. His voice sounded raw like he’d been trying to do so over and over again for hours.

They teen was stripped naked, clearly dosed with a range of things including something that was keeping him erect while his chest skin was peeled and pinned back as someone had been making cuts into the teens rib bones, keeping a sickening tally.

Scott’s face had tears streaming steadily, carving through the blood, dirt, and sweat on his face. He looked the youngest Chris had ever seen him. The teen’s arms were cut and carved into, wounds left open to fester while his healing was at human level due to the electricity.

Derek, strapped to the fence beside him was unconscious with his head hanging forward like he’d been unconscious for a while. He had cuts all over, but nothing as intense as Scott’s. He seemed more worn down, bleeding and surrendered in a way that made Chris’ heart ache.

Chris re-focused on Kate. “How did I not see it before? How did I not see what Gerard made you into?”

Kate laughed, “Made me into? How do you know this isn’t what I always was?”

Chris growled low. “You weren’t, even if you can’t remember it.”

Kate scoffed, “Come on, Chris. You can’t kill me. You never will. You’re too weak.”

Chris took a steadying breath, remembering Allison being there. Alice too. With all his strength, Chris lurched forward, grabbing Kate by the neck and waist, throwing her through the cabin wall and out among the trees of the preserve.

He then looked to Alice and Allison, “Ally, come help me. Alice, please stay at the door.”

Chris ripped out the electrical wires and battery hookups. He ended some of the torture. He then gently lifted Derek’s face to see that Kate had written over Derek’s forehead: ‘Killer.’

Shaking his head in disgust at his sis—no, Kate’s work, Chris gently took Derek off the fence, kissing his cheek subtly before passing him to Alice who looked tearful at what she was seeing. Chris couldn’t dwell on it, or he would be useless. He had to be cold, lock it up. That’s how they do.

Chris then turned to Scott who Allison stood before in tears. It was clear she wanted to reach out to help but did not know where to start. He hugged her from behind before asking her to step out for a moment.

Once Allison had moved to be with Alice who held Derek’s limp form, Chris helped Scott off the fencing. Chris then took off his own jeans to pull them onto Scott. He used some wiring from the ram shackle electric work to create a make-shift belt to tighten the jeans on the teen as Chris very carefully, cleared Scott of any Wolf’s Bane or other things.

Next, Chris carried Scott out of the cabin of hell he’d been in with Derek.

Chris looked to Alice, asking, “Can you carry them both?”

Alice nodded, pulling Derek close and into a bridal carry. She motioned with her chin.

Understanding, Chris laid Scott over Derek to help Alice carry them both. Chris then said, “Leave us behind and run for the Nemeton. No matter what you see or hear, keep going. You have to get them there. Understand?”

Alice nodded, kicking off her shoes. She then took off.

Chris looked to Ally, “Remember the plan.”

Allison nodded.
They both moved to where Chris had thrown Kate.

The werejaguar had shifted to her half form. “Ready to learn a lesson or two about hitting a woman?”

-------------------

The second group was Deucalion, Kali, Ethan, Aiden, Victoria, Cora, Laura, Raph Hale, the female dragon, and Alpha Ilto with those in her pack that were ready and able to fight.

The Demon Wolf and Alpha Kali lead the group with Alpha Ilto as the threat of what Gerard and the Druids were up to affected all of them—the whole county and likely beyond.

They were a spaced-out, curved wave pushing from the opposite side of the preserve from where Kate Argent had holed up. They were sweeping toward the Nemeton.

Although she did not know the exact location of the Nemeton, Alpha Ilto could feel the calling Stiles had promised that she and the others would feel. She did not know how the teen was managing this, but she was not for looking a gift horse in the mouth.

The druids trying to destroy the Nemeton nor Gerard seeking to use it for immortality were things she could stay to the side-lines about. This was too important for her to stay out of it as she and her pack often had.

While her pack was huge, Alpha Ilto knew part of that was due to her taking in the lost and lonely, particularly abandoned or surviving werewolf children. She knew Gerard and other hunters were part of why her pack was so big. If ever there was a time to make a stand, it was now. She could not allow anymore children to suffer at an Argent’s hands. Let alone the equally cruel and heartless hunters they always seemed to amass.

So far, they’d not come across any hunters, but their job had nothing to do with hunting down and killing them. No, they were a line. A line that would become a ring with a funnel entrance toward Kate Argent’s base for her and hers to funnel in before the ring was closed.

Then the real fight would begin. Yes, her pack may need to fight just as Stiles’ pack may need to just to keep the hunters in the ring. But this was bigger than any pack, any person. This was a line that could not be crossed. No one was allowed out nor was anyone allowed in.

Even though they didn’t run, the line was far from slow, building momentum in a sense the closer they came to the Nemeton, the center pike of the circle they would make.

Alpha Ilto truly hoped this would work. Stiles shaking hands did not impart confidence, but the look in his eyes was too firm to question, to deny. She hoped she would not come to regret this day and the actions she could end up taking.

-----------------------

The third group was quiet. Stiles, Peter, Isaac, Kira, Noshiko, Tunstall and Levander all knew the plan, but no one dared speak it. Their role was one of silence for now.

They approached from a side of the preserve between where Kate Argent was and where the line of wolves were approaching. They headed straight for the Nemeton.

Noshiko did not remember exactly the way, but as Stiles had said it would, the Nemeton was calling to her, to them. It was welcoming them. The Nemeton sought their help as much as they sought the tree’s help.

While the fox was skeptical about all that Stiles had explained, Noshiko refused to allow her daughter to do this without her, especially if there was a chance that Stiles was right, and it would take all of them.

Noshiko was in no rush to work with the Nogitsune, but what else could claim worthy of such an action? If Gerard were able to succeed would anyone be able to stand up to him once his power had fully amassed? What about the druids? What damage would be done if they killed the Nemeton? How many lives would be sacrificed for such hubris, such privileged assumptions and blindness?

About a half mile out from Gerard and his hunters, Peter raised his hand to stop them. He then pointed up to the trees. Noshiko and the others nodded. They all knew what was to come next.

Noshiko watched as Peter pulled Stiles onto his back in a piggyback ride before letting out his claws to climb the tree.

She also saw Isaac do the same with his claws, letting Levander and Tunstall hold onto his legs as he climbed up a separate tree to follow Peter’s example.

Noshiko grinned before nodding to Kira. Noshiko them jumped up, kicking against one tree trunk to push out toward another that she kicked against to throw her back against the other one but higher. Continuing in those movements, soon, Noshiko was up in the tree branches on level with Peter and Isaac.

Kira joined them shortly, following her mother’s example.

Together they all walked along the tree branches over the ground from tree to tree closer and closer to the Nemeton. The weight of the Nemeton’s call grew heavier and heavier the closer they got. It didn’t hurt or literally weigh on them, but it became like a chant demanding them forward, demanding speed like a child crying out in desperate need.

The call pulling them forward, and before she knew it, they were in the trees lining the clearing within which the Nemeton stood.

In the clearing, Gerard had Theo on his knees on the tree stump, bleeding from multiple wounds.

Gerard demanded, “Drink up, Nemeton. Feast. Soon there will be more. They are coming to us. My daughter will bring them!”

Stiles bit into Peter’s shoulder to seemingly keep from growling or yelling, maybe even screaming.

The teen slid down and out of Peter’s hold as the fey creatures let go of Isaac’s legs. Together, the four of them somehow sat in a loose form of a ring.

Peter motioned for Kira, Noshiko, and him to be a triad, around the ring of four, pointing toward them Nemeton.

Noshiko didn’t like this, but she nodded and moved as she’d been asked. This all screamed dark magic to her, but she also had to allow for that none of this so far was including the Nogitsune in the magic, so could she really call it dark magic? Was she sure it wasn’t? No. But she also wasn’t sure it was.

-------------------

Stiles sat cross-legged on a branch across from Isaac as Tunstall and Levander each sat cross-legged on branches across from one another. Together, they made a four-point star, a square. Stiles focused his jittery mind. Thank goodness he’d not had any coffee before this but did at least eat something. Magic on an empty stomach would not help any of them.

With his open palms facing up while the back of his hands rested upon his knees, Stiles closed his eyes. He felt his inner self rising to the middle of their square in which he was met by Isaac’s inner self, Levander’s, and Tunstall’s.

Together, their inner selves clasped hands to become a true, circular ring. Together, they chanted, aware their physical bodies would silently mouth the words:

“Three by three,
correct a wrong
to what it was meant to be.’

“Three by three,
correct a wrong to what it was meant to be.’

“Three by three, correct a wrong to what it was meant to be.”

Together they broke apart and sunk back into their physical bodies.

Opening their eyes as one, each of the four stood then took one step back with eerie grace. Together they pointed up and then down.

At the same time, the Nemeton stump shot up a sprout that was quickly growing. It twisted around and encased Theo even as he whined, unable to really do anything about it.

At the back of his mind, Stiles sent soothing calm to Theo with the intent of saving him too.

Gerard cackled in evil glee, seemingly assuming the Nemeton was obeying him.

Soon the tree was massive, its branches reaching out, umbrellaing the clearing in its shade as it branches and leaves tickle the trees around the clearing toward those in the tree.

Stiles took Peter’s hand as Isaac took Noshiko’s and Levander and Tunstall took Kira’s.

The four magic users guided the foxes onto the Nemeton’s branches and toward the center where the Nemeton’s trunk was right below them.

Isaac and Stiles guided Kira, Peter and Noshiko into position, sitting cross-legged on separate branches but holding one another’s hands.

No words were spoken even as Isaac and Stiles stepped back to stand with Tunstall and Levander like they had been sitting before in a four-pointed star, a square around the triad of foxes.

They could all hear as Kate and her Berserkers along with members of Stiles’ pack and others rushed into the Nemeton’s clearing.

Two of three groups becoming one: Chris’s group, Kate’s people and Gerard’s.

Stiles and Isaac reached their hands with palms forward toward the foxes as Levander and Tunstall did the same.

------------------

Peter heard the line turned circle close around the clearing, lines just inside the trees around the Nemeton’s branches’ range.

Even as the Nogitsune was beginning to prepare to combine with the other two foxes, Peter could hear Noah and Raph McCall leading the Druids to the ring of wolves and a dragon. He even heard them yelling as McCall and Noah seemed to snap out of the spell Stiles had cast on them so that they could lead the druids here without the druids being able to realize they were not the ones controlling McCall and Noah, but that they were being led to a trap.

The druids were crying out in their human ways in rage and horror at the reborn and strengthened Nemeton.

Peter lost awareness of that though as he surrendered fully to what the Nogitsune was doing:

Peter’s along with the Nogitsune’s inner self lifted from their body to meet in the middle with Kira and Noshiko’s inner selves.

Although Noshiko hesitated, upon truly seeing the Nogitsune’s inner self that was no longer dark with rot and damage but a soft dark like an early summer night full of stars rather than the pitch black of a shadow, Noshiko accepted joining hands in these forms, chanting as Stiles and Isaac had taught them:

“By the fox tails of three,
undo the rot done unto thee.
By enemies turned allies,
erase promises broken and marred.
By family lines long and old,
strengthen the Nemeton for an eternity
with the magic given thee!”

Even as he was returning into his body with the Nogitsune like the other foxes, Peter could feel the tree, the Nemeton shivering as Isaac and Stiles with the guiding hands of Tunstall and Levander fed raw magic into the tree.

Peter had to grip the branch he was on, feeling winded by his and the Nogitsune’s role in this as he watched Stiles and Isaac glowing with magical nearly-rainbow sparking magic they were feeding to the Nemeton as some of the Nemeton’s roots lifted from the soil and began dragging hunters down into the ground to feed upon as sacrifices.

Gerard was yelling at the tree while firing off shots at the wolves around them.

The wolves didn’t close in on the hunters but did stop them from escaping as the hunters began trying to flee.

Peter then noticed that Alice, Chris and even Henri had joined the ring of wolves along with the rest from their group. As had Noah and McCall even as some of the Nemeton’s roots beyond the circle lifted and began devouring the druids too.

Peter was too practical to feel bad, though the strange slurring sounds the Nemeton was making were somewhat unnerving. However, all he could really focus on was Stiles and Isaac. Both teens were looking pale even though it was hard to tell with all of the magic.

Suddenly both Isaac and Stiles collapsed, but rather than falling directly to the ground, the Nemeton’s branches that they’d been on bended and swayed, laying both teens behind the trunk and out of sight of the hunters, especially Gerard.

Peter breathed a sigh of relief at that as well as at Chris and Allison pulling the two closer to the circle to protect them. Henri even moved to be closer to the two teens to help protect them from those running toward and away from the hungry Nemeton.

Peter helped Noshiko and Kira to climb down the tree to join the line both to be protected and to prevent possible falling from the tree as the Nemeton kept stuffing itself with sacrifices.

It took nearly twenty minutes, but the Nemeton ate and absorbed into the ground every single Druid as well as all the hunters except for Kate and Gerard though the tree did trap both arms and legs of each Argent while they screamed in rage, pain, and fear.

Stiles slowly rose to his feet. He looked almost like he was sleepwalking. He looked weak, but seemed to be holding himself up by will alone.

The teen moved to Peter, taking his hand and walking toward where the Nemeton had Kate and Gerard pinned down.

At the same time, Chris brought forward a still unconscious Derek.

The other Hales also moved forward.

Stiles motioned toward the pinned Argents, saying, “It is your right to take their lives.”

At the same time, Stiles knelt down beside Derek, whispering to him, “Sorry,” before cutting his neck nearly clean through.

Derek seized briefly and died.

Stiles leaned over Derek and cried while the Hales each took turns clawing at Gerard and Kate to bleed them dry. They all knew that the bodies were debts owed, but the deaths were for the Hales. It was the price for everything taken from them.

They watched coldly as the Argents bled to death.

Peter grinned feral relief. They were dead. His vengeance, his family’s vengeance was finally done. He’d finished his business, finally.

He then moved to Stiles’s side, holding the teen’s hand while he cried over Derek.

At the same time, Peter looked to Chris, saying, “Take Kate’s body to Calavera’s. Cut off her head in front of them and give them the body as was promised. Tell them what became of Gerard and his men. Bring back the head to here. Take Allison, Henri, and Alpha Ilto with you, please. If the Calavera’s do not hold to their end of the deal, have Henri howl. We’ll hear and deal with it. Then you can return here.”

Chris nodded.

-------------------------

Although not one for taking orders from Peter, Chris could not deny him right now. Much like when he acted as a Left Hand for Stiles, Chris understood the weight of what was being asked of him.

Looking to Henri, Chris checked that the older wolf was willing to come.

Henri nodded, guiding the Alpha Ilto and Allison to go with.

Alpha Ilto stepped forward without hesitation, no guidance required she looked to her pack and the others, saying merely, “Hold the line. I will return.”

Carrying Kate’s body, Chris led the way back to the Calavera’s house. He didn’t hide it, just carried her over his shoulder like she could be drunk rather than dead and stuck to alley ways and out of the public eye as much as possible.

Thankfully Chris’d gotten clothes since joining the line, so he was at least not doing this naked.

Walking up to the Calavera’s house, Chris did not bother knocking on the door. He just walked in with the others following him. He walked right into the kitchen, dumping Kate’s body on the kitchen island.

Araya entered the kitchen, angry and ready for war but stopped short at seeing Kate’s dead body.

La Loba was dead.

Chris took a knife from a kitchen drawer and cut off Kate’s head right there as he said, “The local pack held up their end of the deal. Kate is dead. Here is the portion of the body committed to you. Gerard and his accumulated hunters have been killed in revenge for their slaughter of innocent humans and werewolves alike as well as other innocent supernatural creatures. Their fate was orchestrated by the pack and the execution method was being fed to the Nemeton.’

“Your family are to leave the territory or face the same fate for violation of the territory by overstaying the lack of welcome.”

Seemingly testing the waters with supposedly having no other major hunter rivalries in the territory, Araya asked, “And if we don’t?”

Chris grinned ferally though with his human teeth, “Then the remaining Argent family will submit you to the pack’s justice to be devoured by the Nemeton as well if Alpha Ilto is amenable.”

Alpha Ilto grinned with her not-so-human teeth, saying, “We would be more than amenable to that fate should they stay.”

Araya seemed taken aback but unwilling to flinch or show any emotion or reaction beyond a moment’s pause. She then said for her people to hear: “They kept their end of the deal. Time to go home.”

Chris nodded, taking Kate’s head and backing out of the house the way they had entered with Allison and Henri watching their backs while Alph Ilto and Chris kept to the front.

Once a few blocks away, they ducked into an alley to hide the head with a shirt Henri took off, revealing his built chest.

With the head hidden, the group headed back to the packs and the Nemeton.

----------------

Meanwhile…

Stiles cried, holding Peter hand too tight. The other Hales moved to cry too over Derek’s lifeless form. They all mourned for something they knew had to be done but none could bear the reality despite that.

There was a yelp as Theo fell out of the Nemeton, weak but alive. He was pulled to the line to be checked over as well as kept safe.

Stiles pet Derek’s hair with his free hand as he sobbed apologies into the dead body.

Even though Stiles knew what he would have to do to end Kate but spare the others from having to harm Derek, it still broke his heart that he had to do. Knowing everyone was safer now did not take away the pain for him anymore than it did the remaining Hales.

Swallowing around all the words he couldn’t stop pleading with the body for forgiveness with, Stiles kept crying and apologizing, swearing there was no other way even though he knew Derek probably couldn’t hear him and may never forgive him when all was said and done.

Time was the crawl of one tear to the next. Stiles knew he had blood on his hands, not just Derek’s. Both literally and in his own mind, Stiles had killed. It was not something new, but it still hurt every time, and this was too much! Derek didn’t deserve this! No one did, but especially not him, not the Hales! Hadn’t they lost enough?!

Still holding Peter’s hand, Stiles let his forehead rest upon Derek’s chest over his heart as he cried and pleaded for forgiveness, for understanding even though Stiles knew he would never, could never forgive himself for this.

Peter gently gripped Stiles’ shoulder to draw his attention to Chris’ return.

With the others back, Stiles wiped his tears even though they’d not stopped coming, saying aloud, “Isaac? We need to get to this finished. Levander, Tunstall. We’ll need your help.”

Isaac slowly got up with Cora’s help and moved to be by Derek with Stiles.

The teen moved to either side of Derek and held one another’s hands over him clasped.

At the same time, Chris set Kate’s head on Derek’s chest before moving out of the way to join the ring like everyone else was doing.

Only Levander, Tunstall, Stiles, and Isaac with Derek’s body and Kate’s head were in the clearing now while it was lined with two packs.

Together, Isaac, Levander, Tunstall, and Stiles began to chant:

“Countess Bathory!’

“Countess Bathory!’

“Countess Bathory”

Before their eyes, Countess Bathory stepped out of the Nemeton as though she was phasing through realms through the Nemeton, which was pretty accurate in Stiles’ mind.

As she stepped out, the Countess Bathory-faced fey smiled at Kate’s dead head on Derek’s chest.

Isaac and Stiles released one another’s hands.

Stiles then turned to the Countess, standing tall, magic glowing around his hands as he spoke, “You are in my pack’s debt. We’ve saved your doorway. We’ve ended those who have not kept their deal with you. We have chased away those who sought to control the doorway and you by extension. We have rebuilt and healed the Nemeton. She stands with us now.”

The Countess Bathory grinned, tilting her head faintly but in curiosity rather than submission. “Ahhh, seeking a deal?”

Stiles’ eyes hardened. “No. You owe a debt. One step toward you repaying it is to bring Derek Hale back to life WITHOUT bringing back Kate Argent. There will be nothing taken from him. Only given.”

The countess still smiled, ‘Then we are even?”

“No,” Stiles clipped out, adding in his mind ‘Not by a long shot.’

The Countess tilted her head a bit in the other direction. “What else are you wanting?”

Stiles shook his head. “Your debt shall not be fully repaid today; however, you will bring Derek back. Right. Now.”

The Countess Bathory-fey giggled, seemingly delighted. “I knew you were up to the challenge. Even with Isaac talking you up, the bar set higher, you beyond met it. I am pleased.”

The Countess waved her hand toward Derek, and he shot up with a gasp.

The Countess Bathory then slid right back into the Nemeton with the final words, “I’ll see you again soon. Let Marin know she’s fulfilled our deal when you see her.”

Tunstall looked to the Nemeton, seemingly uneasy even as Levander walked into the Nemeton to leave as well.

It seemed Levander’s work was done.

Stiles barely refrained from growling at the mention of Marin. Where had she even been in all of this?

Notes:

**Trigger warnings-violence, blood, implied sexual violence, explicit sexual/torture situation, eating whole bodies, blood sacrifice, kidnapping/abduction, beheading, trapping, cannon character death**

If there are any other triggering warnings I should be including, please let me know!

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the update/chapter!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

Chapter 22: Sleep & Togetherness

Summary:

Sleep. Turning. Food. Couples. Unitied. Love. Friendship

Notes:

I'm so grateful for all of you still reading this long series! Thank you so, so much <3

Two days later…

Stiles was in his bed. He’d been doing nothing but sleeping and eating since he’d gotten home from the Nemeton. He wore nothing but a pair of Peter’s sweats. He was woken by one person or another periodically to eat, did so then went back to bed. Thankfully, he was never alone. There were always a few people there with him.

Midday on the second day, Stiles slowly woke, stretching his limbs despite having people on them. He wiggled his way sleepily out of bed and to the bathroom. He was still tired, not realizing he’d been asleep for nearly 46 hours when you took out the food breaks.

He just used the restroom, and upon catching a scent of his breath, brushed his teeth. He stretched again after. He washed his face too before returning to his room, finding only Peter and Deucalion still on his bed when he’d have swore Cora, Erica, and Boyd had been there too before.

Running a hand through his hair, Stiles yawned without covering his mouth. Next, he scratched his faint spray of a love trail of hair running down his abdomen. He still felt tired, but he wasn’t sure it was enough to sleep more or not yet.

Seemingly seeing his indecision, Peter asked, “Want some food?”

As if on cue, Stiles’ stomach audibly gurgled in hunger.

Stiles chuckled, “I guess that’s a yes.”

Peter and Deucalion both got up and walked Stiles downstairs where he could see much of the pack, but not all.

Before Stiles could ask anything, Peter said, “Let’s get you some food, then we’ll update you some, okay?”

Stiles nodded as he yawned again. He sat at the dinning room table next to Allisson who had Lydia on her other side.

Allison and Lydia were eating sandwiches and drawing something out together.

Stiles wasn’t sure what. He looked to the kitchen to see his dad working with Peter and Deucalion to put together some BLTAs and fruit together for Stiles.

Unable to help himself, Stiles said, “Dad, you better not be eating real bacon.”

Noah chuckled, saying, “We’ll explain.”

Stiles did not like the sounds of that. However, when food was put before him, Stiles could not help but dig in.

As he ate, Peter began to speak, “So, you’re Dad’s leg wound got infected. The wounds he sustained turned out to be spiked with different herbs meant to kill wolves and foxes. While he was human, it still contributed to developing a staph infection. As a result, I turned him. Noah’s now a wolf. He’s also my beta, so it’s not as weird as him being directly your beta.”

Stiles groaned with his mouth full. After swallowing, Stiles asked, “Seriously? How long was I out for?”

“Nearly forty-eight hours, I believe,” Peter said. “Had to consistently reassure your Dad it wasn’t bad. Just a price paid for all the magic you did like your full body bruises. Thankfully, those began fading once we started getting some serious protein into you.’

“Derek’s fine. Alive with no side effects. The Countess did as you had asked… well, demanded. It also turned out that when Derek lost an arm so did Kate. She just had a really good prosthetic where Derek rebelled by having already chosen not to go that route. It is however confirmed that the arm is not coming back.”

Peter then nudged some more fruit toward Stiles to keep him busy and eating. He then continued, “Scott’s doing better. He had a bit of a come to Jesus talk from Chris and Henri but is doing better.”

Deucalion moved to sit across from Stiles. “Kali also took in Victoria as hers permanently, which seemed to help toward her recovering herself some to get away from being feral as well as Theo. The three of them are spending a lot of time as wolves. They’re finding a lot of comfort in that. It also is helping Kali and her wolf with being an Alpha again.”

---------------------------

That night at the loft…

Stiles was blown away, sitting in the livingroom on one of the five couches now there. It was like a family may live there now. In a sense, that was true in the end. Raph, Cora, and Laura had all chosen to move in there with everything seemingly settled on the danger front.

Laura and Cora were splayed out on a couch. Derek was standing on the new open balcony attached to the livingroom, BBQing.

Victoria, Theo, and Kali were cuddled up as wolves on one of the other couches. Raph Hale was by Derek with Peter chatting,

Alice was sitting in a chair on the balcony watching Derek with affection.

Noshiko and Kira were sitting with Lydia and Allison at the table playing with the fox kit and a couple hatchlings.

The dragon parents and their other hatchlings were on the living floor in the middle where other people might put a coffee table.

While discussing bringing Kira into their relationship, Boyd and Erica were in the kitchen with Scott and Mel working on side dishes.

Marin had stopped by earlier to thank them all for end the thrice cursed by ending Deaton, Kate, and Gerard as well as freeing her by killing the Druids. She then left them in peace, leaving a card for if they ever needed her help since she owed them.

Chris and his Dad were in a back room making out where they thought no one would notice even though everyone knew about that as well as Chris slipping away with Derek one time.

Deucalion was talking with Henri, Alex, and Sam even about their plans once they’d moved fully into Peter’s apartment.

The dragons had moved out to stay at the Nemeton while Chris and the other Argents with Sam moved in. While Peter and Deucalion along with Aiden and Ethan were with Stiles and Noah. Isaac would go back and forth between the loft and Scott’s where Mel still lived and Erica and Boyd were moving to give the Hales space.

Derek came in from the balcony to sit beside Stiles, saying, “Thank you. I know it was a big thing for you to kill them, but it was worth it. Kate’s gone. So is Gerard. We’re all safe now.”

Stiles hurled himself into Derek, hugging him in tight.

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading<3

Bookmarks, kudos, and comments let me know your take on things as well as feed my feral plot jackals

Notes:

Thank you for reading!

Bookmarks, comments, and kudos let me know you're interested and feed my feral plot hyenas <3

While you're on here and waiting for the next update/chapter, perhaps give these a read:

"Love-Letters in the Form of Dresses" by Whispering_Samir in which a hunter and wolf are both drawn to the Nemeton to find a boy caged upon it who seeks to alter fate. https://archiveofourown.org/works/14120175

"Run (Away) With Me" by lavenderlotion wherein Stiles is turned by a werewolf and all the chaos that includes as well as his standing with Peter. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12558460

"Take the World Together" by RebaK1tten where Peter becomes an Alpha again and the werewolves alighn themselves one way or another. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16379912

"Three Acts" by gemjam about three scenes, moments between Peter and Stiles on their journal. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17733422

"Help Me (I'm Losing my Mind)" by Therapeutic_Steter about Stiles not sleeping and nightmares as well as signs of trouble coming even as Peter tries to help. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12387636

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 7 of Teen Wolf: Bruises Build