Sheriff John Stilinski held his left hand over his right shoulder as he stared down the amber eyes glaring back at him. What the hell was this thing he wondered as he leveled his gun using his right hand. The creature was snarling at him more cautious after he had somehow managed to kick it off of him after it had attacked him in the middle of the night.

John slowly squeezed the trigger when suddenly something slammed in to the creature that attacked him. He turned and saw another of the creatures with flashing claws and glowing amber eyes attacking the one that had attacked him. He could do little more than watch as the two creatures fought until finally the first one yelped loudly before dashing away whimpering. That left the second one and it turned to face him slowly.

The creature was panting heavily as it looked at him. Even with amber colored eyes and fangs, John could see the creature was concerned, and that was the only thing that caused him to lower his weapon. Whatever this thing was he realized it had protected him and was now worried about him.

John took a moment to study the creature. It reminded him strongly of a Hollywood werewolf and he shuttered hoping that was not what this creature was since the first one had bit him. He knew the results of a werewolf bite. John noticed that its clothes were slashed, but they were familiar. Where had he seen those clothes before? Then the creature's features began to change, and then it wore a familiar face. A face with soft brown eyes still filled with concern.

The creature spoke and he knew that voice as well as his own.

"Where are you hurt?" the teenage boy asked slowly approaching him.

"I'm fine," John said. "Scott, what the hell is going on?"

"No you're not," Scott protested mildly. "You're shoulder's bleeding. Did you get scratched or bitten anywhere else?"

John shook his head.

He watched as the boy's shoulders slumped in relief, "Thank God. It would kill Stiles if something happened to you."

John felt his heart seize up and the color drained from his face, "Stiles? Stiles knows about this? He's out here looking for that monster?"

"No," Scott shook his head as he approached John and looked at his shoulder. "Well, yeah, but he's not alone. He doesn't go anywhere without an escort."

John was not comforted by that, "He shouldn't be out here at all with that thing running around loose."

Scott nodded, "I know, but he won't stay out of it. I watch out for him the best I can. We all do."

"Who's all of you?" John's eyes narrowed as Scott easily ripped the shirt away from his injured shoulder.

Scott winced at the damage, "Uhm, that's not my secret to tell. Look, my mom's home so I can take you there and she can treat this. I'll call Stiles and have him meet us there. We'll explain it all then."

"You can explain now," John said sternly. "And why not take me to the hospital?"

"I'd rather no one knew about me." Scott sighed. "If you told anyone and they believed you I'd probably be locked away in a lab and have freaky science experiments run on me. That would really suck. The others wouldn't like it either."

John had to admit that made sense, and Scott had just saved his life. He watched in silence as Scott used what was left of his uniform shirt to make a bandage pressing it against his shoulder wound. Scott used what was left of his own jacket to fasten the bandage down. John had to admit it was not a bad job for a field dressing. He frowned upset that a teenage boy needed to know such things.

"All right, but you are going to tell me what's going on, and I mean everything Scott," John growled finally.

Scott nodded, "Where's your car?

Scott walked back to his patrol car with him and John handed him the keys. It was odd letting a teenage civilian drive him in his own squad car.

As he rode in the car, the sheriff thought back on everything that had happened in the last hour. The evidence was ridiculous, but there was denying what he had seen. He would never have believed it if he had not seen it with his own two eyes.

"Scott," John finally gave in to his musing as they drove to the boy's house. "This may sound crazy, but are you a werewolf?"

Scott's entire body tensed. His jaw muscles flexed and his eyes shifted to that amber color, but it only lasted a moment before they faded back to brown again. It was enough of an answer, but Scott nodded affirmatively.

"How long?" John asked.

Scott sighed, "I was bitten the night before school started."

John frowned as he thought about that and his eyes went wide, "The night Laura Hale's body was found in the preserve?"

Scott nodded, "I was out there with Stiles. I was having trouble breathing and stopped to use my inhaler. Stiles got caught but I stayed hidden. I was heading back through the woods when I met an alpha werewolf and he bit me. I didn't know it at the time, but only an alpha's bite can give you lycanthropy. What bit you was an omega, a lone wolf. You're still human. You won't turn."

That was a relief, "But why didn't you come out?"

Scott glanced at him in disbelief, "Mom would've freaked, and I didn't want anything to mess up my plans to try out for the La Crosse team the next day."

John scowled upset, "You still should've answered."

Scott sighed, "Yeah. We wouldn't have gotten caught up in all this werewolf crap if I had. Things would be different, but I'm not sure they'd be for the better."

"What do you mean?" John asked curiously.

For a moment Scott said nothing and his body tensed. Then he relaxed in defeat.

"If it hadn't been for me being a werewolf Mr. Lahey might still be alive locking Isaac in the deep freeze, or maybe killed him." Scott explained. "I used to think being a werewolf was a curse, but I've begun to see it can be a good thing."

John thought about that. Scott had another point.

They rode the rest of the way in silence until they reached the block Scott's house was on.

"Look, can I ask a favor, Sir?" Scott started nervously.

"I won't tell anyone, Scott." John declared.

"Thanks," Scott shot him a small grateful smile, "but what I was going to ask was if you could sort of give my mom someone to talk to about all this. She hasn't known very long, and she really hasn't had anyone to talk to who's … who's human to help her with what's happened to me."

John realized it was a lot to take in. Hell, he was still taking it all in and it was all he could do to cope. He was thinking only his police training was helping him deal with this right now.

John nodded, "I can do that."

Scott gave him a grin, "Thank you. I know she'd appreciate it."

A moment later they were pulling in to the driveway. Scott had shut off the motor and climbed out of the car when John looked up to see Melissa hurrying from the house. She looked worriedly at her son's appearance, and then she caught sight of him. Her eyes went wide and she paused a moment. Then her professional mindset kicked in and she moved forward.

"What happened?" Her voice was calm as she reached him.

"The omega bit him," Scott answered coming around to the other side. "I drove him off before he could hurt him anymore. I didn't have anything to disinfect the wound with so I used his shirt and my jacket to make a bandage and brought him here."

"You should've taken him to a hospital, Scott." His mother chided as she took hold of John's undamaged arm and started leading him in to the house.

"I know," Scott said. "But you're a nurse, and I'm not real good at making up stuff. It's not like I could really tell anyone the truth."

Melissa sighed and nodded, "Okay, Scott. Where's Stiles?"

"Crap," Scott said. "I haven't called him."

Scott reached in to his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Come on, John." Melissa said. "I'll take a look at that. I'm sure you have questions."

John nodded, "Yeah."

John let himself be led in to the McCall kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table. Melissa told him to wait there before she disappeared for a moment. When she reappeared she had a first aid kit in her hands. She sat them on the table, removed Scott's makeshift bandage, and began to treat the sheriff.

"Is this your only injury?" Melissa asked calmly all nurse.

"Yes," John said. "I managed to get it off me then Scott got there before it could do more than bite me."

Melissa nodded as she worked, "That's good. I'm going to have to clean this and it'll sting."

John nodded, "Okay."

Melissa probed his shoulder with her hands examining the wound.

"Except for the puncture wounds there doesn't appear to be any other damage." Melissa said.

John nodded, "It doesn't feel like anything's broken."

"Doesn't look like it either," Melissa agreed.

John watched as she poured rubbing alcohol on to a cotton ball and then patted at his wound. John winced at the burn of the alcohol but made no sound. She cleaned and disinfected his wound in silence for a few seconds.

Finally John decided to ask a question, "Scott says you haven't known about him for very long. When did you find out, and how?"

"It was the night that boy, Matt, attacked the station. You were unconscious on the floor and a kanima, a reptile monster, was trying to get in to the cell after me. Scott showed up out of nowhere and got him to leave. He looked like a monster, but when he turned around I knew it was him. I didn't handle it very well and he ran off. I hurt my little boy after he had just saved my life."

"Why didn't they tell us?" John asked.

"I doubt I would've believed it if I hadn't seen Scott looking like that with my own eyes," Melissa said. "It took me weeks to even look at him again. Then Principal Argent showed up in my house with that lizard monster and threatened to kill me if Scott didn't do what he said. I was so scared I told Scott just to give him whatever it was he wanted."

John watched her face and he saw the tears begin to fall when she admitted being unable to look at her own son. Then he saw her smile and there was pride in her eyes.

"He didn't do it." She said proudly and sniffed a little. "My boy proved to me he wasn't a monster. That man was the monster controlling that poor kanima. Scott stood up to him with his friend Isaac at the last game. I don't know everything that happened, but Stiles, Scott, and Isaac Lahey managed to save poor Jackson Whittemore. He was that lizard creature and was being forced to kill first by Matt and then by Principal Argent."

John was stunned. There was a lot more to this story he was sure, but to know that much was going on in this town and he never knew.

"John, you should be very proud of Stiles." Melissa said. "I worry about Scott even though I know he's a werewolf, but Stiles is right there helping him. He doesn't heal as fast as Scott does, but he still helps Scott and the others protect this town. He's helping others just like his father does."

John felt the heat drain from his face. Stiles was putting himself in danger? Protecting others? Then he was angry. His son was facing danger and he had no idea. Oh that was going to change. He was going to give that boy a piece of his mind.

"There," Melissa said, "all done."

John looked over at his shoulder and found his wound was professionally bandaged.

"Keep the wound clean, and I can change the bandages for you if you like every day." Melissa instructed. "You might schedule an appointment with your doctor for a tetanus shot."

John nodded.

Before either of them could say anything else the back door flew open.

"Dad!" Stiles shouted and then John found his son's arms wrapped around him.

John wrapped his good arm around Stiles and then his wounded arm as he felt his son trembling in his arms clinging to him for what seemed like dear life.

"Are you okay?" Stiles asked. "When Scott told me what happened."

"I'll be fine," John interrupted firmly but assuring the teen in his arms. "Scott saved my life, and his mom patched me up."

"Thank God," Stiles babbled. "I couldn't stand losing you too. If you didn't know what was out there. If I didn't tell you it would be my fault again if I lost you too."

John closed his eyes and just held his trembling son. He could understand that. He had no idea what he would do if he lost his son and the last of the woman he had loved for so long. Then what Stiles said registered and he pushed his son back to stare in to the same brown eyes of his dead wife.

"Genim Stilinski," John said firmly. "What happened to your mother is not, and never will be, your fault. Do you understand me? You had no way of knowing that accident was going to happen. You weren't driving the car that put her in that coma."

"You?" Stiles swallowed a lump in his throat. "You don't blame me for her dying? You don't ever wish you hadn't been stuck with me and my ADHD?"

John realized this was worse than he thought. He reached up and took his son's face in his hands.

"Never," John declared. "Your mother was every bit as hyper as you are Stiles. You know you have her eyes right?"

Stiles nodded.

"Every time I miss her I just look at you and I see her, and I thank God every day for that because I know that part of her is still with me. You are not a burden to me, son. The parts of her that live on in you make my life worth living, and give me a reason to get up in the morning."

Stiles eyes were as wide as saucers and his mouth hung open. John Stilinski smiled at his son and then wrapped him up in his arms this time.

"I love you, son." John whispered in his ear. "Always have. Always will."

"Love you too, Dad." Stiles whispered back.

John vowed to himself that he was going to tell his son that more often.

After several moments they finally let each other go.

"Now," John said sternly. "I'm going to see if Melissa will make a pot of coffee then you and Scott are going to explain everything to us."

Stiles swallowed, "Oh crap, we're going to be grounded until we're a hundred and Scott's been fitted for wolfey dentures."