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Stiles and Peter stayed with John in the Stilinski home while they started on other arrangements.
That first night, after the Nemeton, Peter stood with Stiles in the upstairs hall. Peter took Stiles' hand.
"There are a lot of things moving around us. Some of them are between us," Peter said softly. "Yes, we need to talk but, well, we barely know each other."
"Oh, man!" Stiles sighed. "You're right."
"Let's see what happens over the next few weeks," Peter suggested. "We both have things to do. I have people to talk to, a Pack that needs explanations, a business to move, and to find someplace to live. And a few other things I can't share with you just yet. And you have magic to learn and schooling to arrange."
"It's only been a few weeks and you've already done a lot for me," Stiles nodded. "I'm not going anywhere, and I'd love to have time to get to know you better."
Peter smiled. "And I get to know you better!"
A few days later, Peter went back to LA to talk to the Pack and start moving the Tattoo shop to Beacon Hills.
After three weeks, Peter sat Stiles down on a day he was in Beacon Hills.
"What's up?" Stiles asked.
"Before I tell you, please understand that this was not mine to tell you," Peter said seriously. "There were too many people involved in deciding what I could tell you and what you needed to know."
Stiles frowned. "I mean, are you part of the Mob or something? You had to get permission from your Godfather or something?"
Peter barked a laugh. "Actually, not terribly far from that. Only, we're good guys."
Stiles huffed for a moment, then considered. "You're FBI."
"I told them you were smart," Peter grinned. "That you'd figure it out sooner than later. This way, you can be prepared for some of the more... unusual things that happen around us."
Stiles blinked. "You're the supernatural division, aren't you?"
Peter nodded.
Stiles stared for a moment. "Oh, my god! Erica with a gun? Really?"
"Crack shot, actually," Peter admitted. "She's our sniper."
"Okay, that I did not expect!" Stiles nodded. "Does my dad..." Stiles poked Peter hard. "He already knows!"
"He's the one who pointed out that you would figure it out," Peter nodded. "You have a long-term goal to join the FBI, so this kind of fits into your plans."
"Will the Nemeton let me go for training?" Stiles asked, worried. "It's more than just going to school during the day and coming back at night. FBI training is a couple of months, and all the way across the country."
"We'll work on that when we get there," Peter shrugged. "If not, we can work with something closer. You have skills that my superiors can't wait to get their hands on. They'll bend over backwards for you. And you aren't the first to be geographically limited. So there is precedent."
"Good to know," Stiles replied.
"But first, you need to finish your degree before anything is going to happen," Peter said firmly. "You need to have your own credentials and background."
"Oh, man!" Stiles moaned. "You're going to make me work out with the 'wolves!"
"It'll be good practice for dealing with criminals," Peter grinned.
"Oh, all right," Stiles agreed.
----
Theo had indeed disappeared after they had taken his 'wolf from him.
Scott? Not so much. In fact, the moping and whining was staring to become a thorn in Stiles' side.
"Come on, Stiles!" Scott begged. "Help me out here!"
Stiles, with Esmerelda's help, had built an intent ward around the house. One Scott could not cross. So Scott had cornered him outside the supermarket. Stiles looked around to make sure no one else would hear them. Although it was interesting that Miss Mabel, the librarian Stiles remembered, stopped to sit on the bench near the door. She would be able to see but not hear them. But a witness of any sort would be good.
"Scott, the answer is no," Stiles said firmly. "It doesn't work that way."
"But... you did magic to take my 'wolf, you can do magic again to give it back to me!" Scott protested.
"You did nothing but complain about being a werewolf," Stiles sighed gustily. "Even when you were the Alpha, you didn't want to be responsible. Sure, you liked being in charge, but you wouldn't take care of your Pack. You left me to do all the grunt work."
"But... Theo said..." Scott whined.
"Theo is long gone," Stiles said. "He's not coming back, and you know it."
Scott huffed. "What about school? I can't afford that apartment on my own and you know it."
"And how are your grades?" Stiles countered.
Scott looked away.
"You're on academic probation, aren't you?" Stiles asked, already suspecting what the answer would be.
"Don't tell my mom!" Scott hissed. "I told her I'm doing fine."
"So. Have you talked to the support staff at school about how to fix your grades?" Stiles asked.
"Why would I do that?" Scott was puzzled.
"Scott! That's their job," Stiles sighed waving his hands. "They help people on probation. They suggest courses you should take, or re-take, where to get help, and what you can do to salvage your GPA."
"That's a lot of work!" Scott protested.
"You're not going to get into any kind of a veterinary program if you're on probation," Stiles said. "Did you know that you need at least a two-year degree to be a Vet Tech?"
"No!" Scott's eyes went wide.
"Check it out," Stiles said. "You don't have to believe me." Stiles held up a hand. "And I'm not going to do that work for you. You have to do it yourself."
"Stiles!" Scott stamped his foot.
Stiles rubbed his forehead. "You fucked up, and you have to fix it. I will not and cannot fix it for you. Sure, you're not a werewolf anymore. But your asthma is cured. Be grateful for that much."
Scott got the mulish look that Stiles knew well. Stiles wasn't going to deal with it.
"I gotta go," Stiles said. "I have lessons that I can't be late for."
"You're going to summer school?" Scott asked, in horror. "Why would you do that?"
Stiles' lesson was with Esmerelda but summer school was a good way to deal with Scott.
"I'm taking two majors," Stiles reminded Scott. "I told you this at Christmas time, when I signed up for all those courses this past semester. If I'm going to finish both programs up in four years, I need to take summer classes."
"Fine!" Scott replied. "Do what you have to." He turned and walked away.
Stiles loaded the groceries into the Jeep. Miss Mabel nodded at him and went into the store.
Interesting.
Stiles recounted the discussion with his dad.
"That boy will never learn," John said, shaking his head. "Keep saying 'no' to him and it might stick."
"He'll melt down again when I tell him I'm not going back to LA," Stiles admitted. "I wasn't going to deal with that right now. I also need to talk to Brian and Jeremy about what they want to do."
The two other Pack members were now Packless but Stiles wasn't sure what kind of Pack bonds the boys had to Scott to begin with. But he needed Peter to help deal with them.
"When is Peter coming back?" John asked.
"On the weekend," Stiles replied. "They need to deal with rescheduling customers, at the very least. And, well, Peter's car is cool but I'm glad to have my Jeep back."
Roscoe had been in LA, in Peter's garage, until recently. It had come back sounding suspiciously better.
"What did you do?" Stiles asked, hands on his hips.
"Had my mechanic look at it," Peter admitted. "Did you know there was actual duct tape holding some of it together?"
"Well, I did, since I was the one who put it there," Stiles replied.
"It needs more work, but the basics have been taken care of," Peter said.
"I can't afford that!" Stiles protested.
"It's a Pack thing," Peter replied gently. "You are Pack, and the Pack can afford it."
Stiles huffed. "That goes on the list of things we need to talk about," he said.
"I will agree," Peter had given a small grin.
"And I'm not surprised about Scott's grades," John admitted. "I'll drop a word in Melissa's ear that she really needs to push Scott to admit how poorly he did."
"Yeah," Stiles replied. "I know he and Theo barely went to class, especially at the end. Scott barely scraped through the Fall semester, when he actually went to class. I wouldn't be surprised if he had mostly failing grades for the Spring."
John winced. "Mel won't be happy to learn that."
"No," Stiles shook his head.
"You okay with all of this?" John asked. "I mean, it's been a lot in a short period of time."
Stiles took a moment to think about it. "I've been losing Scott since he was bitten. Only the fact that I hung around and wouldn't leave kept that friendship going. Now that I'll be going to school online and Scott has likely flunked out? That's going to be the end of it. We don't have anything in common anymore."
"Sorry," John said softly.
Stiles shook himself. "Even before he was bitten, I didn't see much of a friendship once I went off to DC to join the FBI. Scott thinks he's all about law-and-order but he's pretty black-and-white and doesn't understand when something might be grey. So I knew there would be a... fizzling away at some point."
John nodded.
"And Scott becoming human and you discovering your magic has put up another barrier," John said.
"There is that," Stiles agreed.
John moved close and wrapped his arms about Stiles. "You're doing good. Keep up the good work."
Stiles held his father close for a moment. "Thanks," he whispered.
"Come on, let's get some dinner," John said.
----
It actually took a couple of months for the Pack move to be finalized. Closing down in LA wasn't hard but Peter finally decided they needed to do some major renovations on the abandoned warehouse complex they had found, and purchased, before they could open.
"It needs to meet health codes, if nothing else," Peter pointed out. "The place needs updating and renovations. But it gives us more floor space for the Tattoo shop. The upper floors will be similar to what we had in LA. Bedrooms but the larger space will give us a chance to make a couple of small apartments. The other buildings let us build Pack space."
"You were a safe house," Stiles realized.
"Among other things," Peter said. "Some of which you will learn when we can share it with you."
That was the fine line, Peter explained. "While you know, there will be things you cannot know. Or interact with. If anyone of us says 'no' to you, I need you to listen. It's not personal. It protects you and us. The last things we need is a case thrown out because of improper procedures."
Stiles nodded. "I get it," he admitted. "I've been on the periphery of things dad has done and have been lucky not to get caught snooping."
"We're working with bigger things," Peter pointed out. "Some of these are multi-million dollar cases. Or involve supernatural creatures that will never go to human court. But the cases need to be treated all the same. That's the only way that supernaturals get true justice, to be subject to human laws."
"That's an interesting point," Stiles admitted.
"It's something that's on Esmerelda's plan, to discuss the supernatural side of the justice system with you," Peter replied. "Sure, a 'wolf may not be able to serve time in a human prison, but there are ways to deal with 'wolves who break the laws."
"I get it," Stiles nodded. "And I'll listen. Although I'm also going to be all about the learning. I work better with information."
"Which is why I argued to include you," Peter replied. "Otherwise, you'd be dabbling in things you shouldn't be and, well, making a mess for all of us."
Stiles laughed. "It's like you know me!"
"I do!" Peter grinned.
-----
The wolf-pups started out in the Stilinski residence, largely because there was no where else safe for them to go. They had easily taken to Stiles and were as smart as Esmerelda said they would be. They understood spoken commands and ate whatever was presented to them. After much thought, Stiles named them Luke and Han. Peter had sighed, but John had laughed.
Esmerelda was, temporarily, in a small apartment until she could find a place that suited her magic.
"I'm better outside of a town," she explained. "I was identified as a Spark as a young child and grew up away from other people. I've acclimated over time but my preference is for living alone. A farm is good, a forest is better."
"Whereas I grew up surrounded by people, so I'm used to them in my space, so to speak," Stiles replied.
"Exactly," she nodded. "So I certainly can live in an apartment like this for a length of time, but my magic wants some freedom. My affinity for Air needs space to manifest, as it were."
"Oh, does someone with a Water affinity need to have, like, a pool or something?" Stiles asked.
"They do, actually," Esmerelda agreed. "Although I know one who is happy with a hot tub. So it's not always volume but just the existence of the element."
"Huh," Stiles replied. "My fire?"
"Warmth," Esmerelda replied. "You would not do well in a cold climate. Again, it's over a length of time. You can go to the mountains and go skiing, or whatever, and you'd be fine. But if you lived in a cold climate for a number of years, you would eventually become uncomfortable."
"Oh, I never thought of it that way," Stiles replied. "Which is why the pups love to sleep with me. We keep each other warm."
"You're just spoiling them," Esmerelda laughed. "But, yes. Sharing warmth and being in close proximity is something 'wolves do in nature. Werewolves also connect by sleeping together as a Pack. You'll find Peter having one bedroom in his Den where everyone can sleep together."
"Oh, I never thought about the Pack that way," Stiles admitted. "Scott and Theo were pretty stand-offish and rarely did more than a 'bro hug' with each other."
"Your friends that are not in the Pack probably have spent more time than you think together," she said.
"They shared a room when we were in LA," Stiles said thoughtfully.
"And it likely was platonic, but they probably shared a bed on a regular basis," she said. "They may or may not have understood it, but being together like that was comforting to their 'wolf."
"What can we do to help them?" Stiles asked.
"At the very least, check on them," she said. "There are a lot of things you cannot tell them but you can be friendly. That will give them at least a secondary connection to the Pack that will help them keep stable."
"And I need to talk to Peter about them," Stiles decided. "It's not fair to leave them hanging."
"I've been scouting the town and there are more supernatural beings in town than you might think," Esmerelda said. "Many of them don't need Pack but would benefit from having a Pack in town."
"Ha! Miss Mabel in the library is a hedge-witch!" Stiles gave a fist pump.
"Actually, I think she's fae," Esmerelda replied.
"Really? What makes you think that?" Stiles asked. Although he thought back to how she had watched his discussion with Scott. Maybe she had been listening in. He'd have to make time to go to the library to thank her for watching over him.
"Which is part of your next training," Esmerelda said. "I have some books and want you to see if you can identify some of the supernaturals in town. Discreetly and politely. No one wants to be outed without their specific permission."
"I can be discreet!" Stiles nodded.
"Good luck with that," Esmerelda laughed.
-----
Stiles called Brian and Jeremy, the other boys that had been bitten when Scott had, that night now almost a year ago. As he suspected, they both had summer jobs and it took a bit of juggling to find a time to get together.
"Come to my place," Stiles invited. "I have someone for you to meet and, well, you should know what's going on."
"Yeah," Brian replied. "I've tried to call Scott and he won't answer my calls."
"That's part of what I have to explain," Stiles admitted. "But it's easier to do it once, with both of you at one time."
"Sure," Brian replied.
"I'll even provide pizza," Stiles replied.
"Oh, man," Brian was enthusiastic. "Can I admit I even miss your cooking?"
"Aww," Stiles cooed.
"No! I didn't know how good you were at it until I came home," Brian admitted. "Mom's away for the month, helping Aunt Emily, and my little sister is doing most of the cooking. It's not awful but, well, it's not good."
Stiles had to laugh. "I'll send you recipes for a few simple things you can use, in self defense. See you Sunday night!"
Peter came back to Beacon Hills on Sunday morning.
"I have Brian and Jeremy coming here tonight," Stiles said. "They're the other two that were bitten at the same time Scott was bitten. They need to be checked on, if nothing else. And, well, they need to understand better the need to be in a Pack."
"What are you thinking?" Peter asked.
"I don't know how some of this Pack thing works," Stiles admitted. "Which is what I need you for. I don't know how people that are not in a family become part of a Pack or if there's like, an application, or a test, or..." he waved a hand, "a secret handshake!"
Peter snickered. "I have talked to Esmerelda and she tells me there are more supernaturals in the area than suspected. There are a small handful of 'wolves, mostly part of a couple of families. So even if they don't have an Alpha, their stability is based on their family. But teens like Brian and Jeremy, who are the only 'wolves in their families, may not have that stability."
"They didn't say anything about losing a Pack bond when we took Scott's Alpha-ness from him, so I don't know if they even had Pack bonds to Scott," Stiles said.
"Alpha-ness." Peter shook his head.
"I'm still reading all the books Esmerelda threw at me!" Stiles grinned.
"We can talk about that when they are here," Peter said. "This will be good for you and them. The bottom line is they can be essentially on probation with the Hale Pack, so both sides can decide if it's a good fit. If it's not, there are always other Packs looking for new members and we can steer them in that direction."
"Oh, good!" Stiles nodded.
"I haven't added too many to the Pack, largely because of the FBI aspect," Peter admitted. "Boyd is married to Erica, so he is Pack but not FBI. Cora and Derek are both in the FBI and Pack. I've kept it small, mostly to keep it manageable. But if we start taking in new Pack members, we'll have to work out a way to keep the FBI work separate from most of the Pack."
Stiles was thoughtful. "Maybe Esmerelda can help with that? Or at least have some ideas?"
"That is a good thought," Peter nodded. "I was going to ask for her advice."
Brian and Jeremy arrived together.
"Good to see you again!" Jeremy said. He hugged Stiles. "You disappeared so fast at the end of the semester that I didn't get to know what happened."
"That's part of the story," Stiles admitted. "Come in," he invited the two. "Pizza's here and I have someone you need to meet."
Brian stopped at the doorway to the dining room. "You're... different. A 'wolf but...," he said to Peter.
"Good senses!" Peter said, flashing his red eyes.
Brian flashed his gold eyes, and Jeremy did the same a moment later.
"Brian, Jeremy, this is Peter Hale," Stiles made the introductions. "Peter is the Alpha for the Hale Pack that will be moving into Beacon Hills in the very near future."
Jeremy frowned. "Hale? As in the Hales that used to be here, years ago?"
Peter nodded. "Yes," he replied. "Great-great grandparents that I have only stories about. But good that you recognize that."
"My Ma worked at the historical building when I was a kid," Jeremy admitted. "So I know more than most about the history of Beacon Hills."
"I will have to check that out," Peter replied.
"Eat while it's hot," Stiles said. He poured drinks and let Brian and Jeremy eat. He kept the talk light, focusing on school work. Peter added an occasional comment but let the teens talk among themselves.
"So, what's up?" Brian asked, after helping to clean up. "Not that I don't appreciate free pizza, but you wanted to talk about something."
"A week or so ago," Stiles asked. "Did you feel something... odd, I guess?"
Brian considered, then shook his head. Jeremy looked a little more thoughtful.
"Something, yeah," Jeremy admitted. "But, well, I don't know what."
"Okay, there's no simple way to say this but Scott is no longer a 'wolf, much less an Alpha," Stiles said baldly.
The two looked surprised at that.
"Is that even possible?" Brian asked.
"Well, it happened," Stiles said. "We have a... magic user who was working with my magic and they decided that Scott and Theo shouldn't be 'wolves anymore."
They were leaving Stiles' ability to do that out of any discussion. And Esmerelda's identity.
"Whoa!" Jeremy said. "Scott and Theo? Couldn't have happened to a better pair of douches." He looked at Stiles. "Sorry, I know Scott was your friend."
"Was is the operative word," Stiles admitted. "Scott hasn't really processed it yet, but I'm not going back to LA for school in the Fall and I'm guessing he's failed most, if not all of his Spring classes." He pointed at them. "That's Pack business, so don't talk about it. But you need to understand some of what's going on."
The teens nodded. "Sure, that makes sense."
"Peter is in the process of moving his Pack to Beacon Hills," Stiles went on. "Scott isn't a 'wolf, so he had no say in this."
"What I would like to do," Peter jumped in. "Is to offer you provisional membership in the Hale Pack. What that means is I will make Pack bonds with you and offer you the resources of the Hale Pack. We will do Full Moon activities with you, and your families, if they are interested."
"My sister will be all over that!" Brian grinned. "She's had questions that I have no answers to."
"And my Ma would love to know more about the Hale family," Jeremy said.
"This would be provisional through December," Peter said. "That gives us the summer to get to know each other and through the Fall semester. If, by December, you don't think it will work, then we will discuss your options. My Pack would facilitate your move to another Pack, if that's what you want. And that is a commonly done thing. When 'wolves marry outside the Pack, they are moved from one Pack to another. And 'wolves are people, not everyone gets along."
"I'm in!" Brian said. He glanced at Jeremy. "We've been, umm, helping each other, since neither Scott nor Theo were any help to us."
Peter nodded. He looked at Jeremy.
Jeremy was slower but nodded. "I... Yes, I'd like that," he admitted. "I can feel the next full moon coming up and wasn't sure how I'd... how we'd manage."
Peter stood and motioned the teens to stand with him.
"Jeremy, I would like to offer you a Bond with the Hale Pack," Peter said, "with the understanding that your membership in the Pack will be reviewed in December."
"I accept your Bond," Jeremy nodded.
Peter leaned in and Jeremy automatically tilted his head in submission to the Alpha. Peter made a small nip in Jeremy's neck and stepped back. There was a small drop of blood and the wound disappeared.
Jeremy gave a small sigh of relief. "Oh, that feels so much better!"
Peter grinned. He repeated the words with Brian, who also perked up at the end.
"I... I never felt like this with Scott," Brian admitted, rubbing his chest absently.
"First of all, Scott did not Bite you, so there was no automatic connection with him. And since the Alpha that Bit you was killed soon after, you essentially had no bond with an Alpha," Peter explained. "The small Bite I just gave you was enough to establish a Bond, so that you will feel a connection between us."
"Thank you!" Jeremy said.
"I will be in and out of town, although here for the next full moon," Peter said. "Run anything you need through Stiles, and he will get it to me."
"We will!" Brian nodded.
After the two left, Stiles said, "I'm not really that much older than they are, but, well, I feel older."
"Your magic does some of that," Peter said.
"Another thing to talk to Esmerelda about," Stiles nodded.
"And you've always been, and sorry about the phrasing, the Pack Mom," Peter said. "Even with my Pack, you have a need, and a talent, for taking care of everyone. One of the things you and I need to talk about, but I see you as Emissary. That is an important role that takes care of the Pack magically as well as forging alliances and handling communication with other Packs."
Stiles froze. "That's... an important role."
Peter nodded. "But it suits you. It feeds your need to know everything. It encourages your magic to protect us. And it uses your skills in research to ensure the Pack is not taken advantage of when we negotiate with other Packs."
"Oh," Stiles said thoughtfully. Then nodded. "I... I can see that."
Peter held out a hand, that Stiles automatically took. "And, our personal relationship means working together. Closely. You have earned the position of Emissary, it gives you authority in your own right. Equal to mine as Alpha."
"Peter!" Stiles breathed.
"You'll wield it well," Peter said, holding Stiles' hand firmly.