Derek was alone in the world and now that he was an alpha he decided to do something about it.
It started with an awkward asthmatic kid that looked like he could benefit from the bite; and he did. Before Scott McCall was a nobody and now he was co-captain of the Lacrosse team, his asthma no longer an issue, and girls began taking notice of him.
One thing Derek didn't count on was the boy's reaction to being turned. It had benefitted his life in so many ways but when Derek explained everything, the teen had flipped out on him. Scott was freaked out about how he could hurt someone and he never asked for this. After telling the boy that he could teach him control, Scott reluctantly joined Derek's pack on the condition that if he continued recruiting he would ask permission and explain the pros and cons to the potential pack member.
Another unexpected thing that came with Scott joining his pack was the kid's best friend. Scott apparently didn't get the memo of don't tell others that you have superior senses and change on the full moon. The lanky brunet did nothing but annoy Derek but for some reason he helped Scott gain control in a way he couldn't. Derek realized the potential this kid had and reluctantly accepted Stiles (seriously what is a Stiles) as a human part of the pack.
The next addition was a reluctant decision. While Scott had been learning control he alerted the suspicions of a classmate that something had happened to him. When Jackson finally figured out that Scott was a lycanthrope (the connotation associated with werewolf is demeaning to those who are born) he went to Derek and threatened exposure if he wasn't turned. Seeing no other way out of it, Derek bit the teen.
One thing Derek didn't think of was how the rest of the pack would react to a new member. Scott, the young puppy he was, rolled with it once he knew Jackson volunteered for the bite. The problem was Stiles.
It all culminated in a screaming match that ended with Derek yelling, "Fine! Why don't you choose the pack candidates!"
"Wow there is intelligence in there, I'll take the job." The brunet answered smugly, like that was his goal all along.
"What no." Derek said quickly realizing he had been played. Jackson was spluttering in the background and before Derek could work up an argument Stiles had left. Derek looked to Scott hoping the kid would help.
"Don't bother, you've lost. Besides would it be so bad having Stiles pick who joins." Scott answered with a mysterious smile.
Derek soon understood why Stiles had been so against Jackson joining the pack. The teen was an overprivleged stuck up brat. He was constantly complaining about one inane matter or another. The thing that cropped up the most was that for some reason his car kept breaking down. When the douche nozzle (as Stiles liked to call him under his breath) kept complaining about how his father was going to stop paying for repairs, Derek volunteered to look at it; worse mistake ever. The stupid expensive thing kept breaking down in the most exotic ways.
This wasn't the only strange happening going on in Beacon Hills. The town was suddenly being plagued with a series of random pranks, the high school seeming to be ground zero for most of them. Coach Finstock's office had been rid of all nails causing anything held together by one to fall apart. The new Principle often found himself locked out of his office despite having his keys on him. The person plagued most by the mysterious prankster was the Biology teacher Mr. Harris. According to the pack every time he went to sit down his chair moved out from under him.
One day when Derek went to meet Stiles because the teen said he had a line on a potential pack member he saw the teacher muttering darkly as he came out of a bathroom his face electric blue.
Derek quickly found Stiles in the library looking over a small leather bound journal that he carried with him everywhere.
"I've been meaning to ask, what's that journal?" Derek asked.
"It was my mother's. She gave it to my father to give to me on my 18th birthday. I came across it a few weeks ago when I was cleaning the house and he gave it to me considering my birthday is just a few months away." Stiles answered closing it.
"Alright potential pack member is over there" Stiles said pointing to a blonde girl across the library. She had her face buried in a book and sat isolated from anyone else in the library.
"Her name is Erica Reyes, she's a junior like me, Scott and Jackson. She suffers from epilepsy and you've said that the bite rids humans of any medical condition. Well I'm fairly certain she'd like to go the rest of her life without another seizure." Stiles explained.
"You do know that she'll change twice a month rather than once." Derek commented.
"Hmm well we'll have to make sure she knows that as well" Stiles replied.
"We?" Derek asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah we, it'll be less creepy if someone she actually knows is there when you approach." Stiles said and stood up, backpack and journal in hand.
They walked over to Erica and Stiles introduced her to Derek. Derek was nervous as he spoke because this was the first time he was actively recruiting someone into his pack. He was suddenly grateful Stiles had insisted in doing this with him because the teen was a master at steering the conversation to where it needed to go. Once Erica heard the words 'no more seizures' her face brightened and heart raced. Even with the information as to the negatives of being a lycanthrope (nope, werewolf is still offensive) she couldn't say yes fast enough.
Stiles and Derek left Erica, who was practically buzzing with excitement, planning on having her come over to the loft later that night because let's face it biting someone in a public place is not the smartest thing to do.
The next few weeks were busy, preparations for the new pack members' first full moon were made and Stiles was being strangely inquisitive about his family.
After the third questioning Derek was fed up.
"Stiles what gives?! I don't like talking about the past, especially this. You don't see me asking 20 questions about your mom" Derek snapped and instantly regretted his words.
"Look I'm sorry, I didn't mean it – I" Derek apologized quickly, wanting the pain in Stiles eyes to go away.
"No, it's cool. I sometimes don't know when to leave things alone. My questions will make sense after the full moon. And you can ask, you know…about my mom" Stiles said quietly, staring at his mother's journal that never left his side.
"Hey if anyone knows what it's like to lose someone you love, it's me" Derek said sitting down on the couch next to Stiles. Stiles smiled at him and for some reason it made Derek's heart flutter.
"So what was she like, your mom?" Stiles asked. Derek sighed and started talking. They went late into the night exchanging childhood stories about the women who brought them into the world and how remarkably similar they were while being vastly different.
Derek got caught up in the stress of keeping the pack under control during the full moon that he completely forgot about why Stiles inquired about his family. Three days after the moon, Derek was sitting in the loft reading a book when Stiles approached, a huge grin on his face.
"Hey man I have a surprise for you" the lanky brunet said when Derek looked up from the book. Just then a dark haired girl walked into the room and it took him a few seconds to recognize her.
"Cora?" Derek asked not believing his eyes.
"Yeah Derek" she said with a half-smile. Derek dropped his book on the couch and quickly crossed the room, sweeping his little sister in a crushing hug.
"I thought you were in the fire" Derek said quietly into her hair (no way was he crying, nope, just the trick of the light).
"Uncle Peter got us out." Cora answered in a sad tone.
"Stiles how did you find her?" Derek asked when he noticed Stiles leaving the room.
"Back when you turned Scott I started doing research online and came across this forum where she was correcting lore. We started talking and well I put a few things together and here we are." Stiles explained nervously.
"Thank you" Derek said a smile breaking across his face as he held his baby sister.
"No problem dude" Stiles replied and left.
After the initial reunion, Cora told Derek how their Uncle Peter had got her out of the fire and suffered severe burns. They had been chased by the hunter who had started the fire and only lost her by taking refuge in the river. Peter had then relocated himself and Cora across the country in upstate New York where Peter fell in love with the alpha of another pack. They had a good life until a month before a bunch of hunters came into town and killed their new pack. Cora had survived because Peter distracted them while she ran away. By the time she started talking to Stiles she had been picked up on the streets of New York City and placed in foster care.
The pack welcomed Cora warmly, especially Erica who was glad not to be the only girl. The loft felt more alive now that Cora was living with him and the pack felt more welcome coming over. They fell into a routine that made the place feel like a home. The pack would come over after school and Lacrosse practice, Stiles would immediately descend on the kitchen with the girls complaining loudly that Derek needed to get a bigger fridge so they wouldn't have to go grocery shopping so often. Dinner was always delicious and playful, stories of the latest act the mysterious prankster committed passing around the table.
One night Erica brought up a point that Derek had completely forgotten about in the domestic bliss.
"We're always looking for new members of the pack right?" the blonde asked as she passed Derek the homemade rolls Stiles had labored over.
"Yeah, I suppose who did you have in mind?" Derek asked, figuring if it was discussed over dinner there would be no problems with anyone.
"This guy Boyd. He was talking to me today saying how lonely his life was and it kind of felt worthless. It reminded me of how I felt before I joined." Erica said not really meeting Derek's eyes.
"I know who you're talking about, he's pretty cool and I wouldn't mind him joining" Cora piped in. Scott made some happy puppy noises (seriously is he trying to go for being mistaken for a dog) and Jackson grunted noncommittally. The only person he hadn't heard from was Stiles, so Derek looked across the table to see the brunet smile and nod.
"Alright I'll talk to him tomorrow and see if he'd like to join." Derek said casually. Cora looked between Derek and Stiles a curious expression crossing her face but Derek decided to let it go.
Later that evening after everyone else had left Derek overheard a whispered conversation between Cora and Stiles as they cleaned up the kitchen.
"Stiles this is childish, you need to tell him" he barely heard Cora say over excessively loud clinking of dishes.
"I don't see why we have to bother him with this information" Stiles whispered back.
"Stiles" Cora said in a tone that Derek knew she was staring the skinny brunet down.
"I'll tell him eventually, just not now" Stiles promised.
Derek didn't like what he had overheard; the conclusion his mind came to was that Stiles was in a secret relationship with his baby sister and for some reason that hurt (hurt because they didn't want to tell him, not because he has feelings for Stiles. Nope na-uh definitely not).
Boyd seamlessly joined pack life to no one's surprise. Derek often wondered what was going on when he saw him and Erica together, but he wasn't going to say anything, far be it for him to ruin someone else's chances at love. He was quite helpful and even took to fixing Jackson's car when Derek was fed up with it.
What confused Derek the most was when Stiles came to him one day with a fevered argument to let the youngest of the local hunters join the pack. Scott and Jackson who had been talking nonstop about this girl for the past few weeks immediately joined in and Derek caved with conditions (let's face it the puppies would have made his life hell if he didn't).
Derek was on edge the first time Allison came over for a pack meet, but soon found out that she could be useful. After that first meeting he knew more about hunter dynamics. After a few meetings Allison proved her loyalty to the pack when she brought an usb drive her grandfather kept close at all times.
Come to find out the drive was the Argent clan's bestiary. Stiles was ecstatic to get his hands on it, however his excitement turned to frustration when he found the thing encrypted beyond the old man's ability. And that's how Danny and Lydia joined the pack. For some reason Stiles knew that Danny had a record for hacking and bugged Jackson until he called Danny up to help decrypt the bestiary. That however was the first hurdle. The bestiary was in an obscure version of Latin that for some reason Jackson's ex Lydia knew how to read.
They got their hands on it just in time for a bunch of ghouls to start desecrating graves in the Beacon Hills Cemetery. Stiles for some reason had decided to join Derek one night for patrol and just their luck they found some ghouls. Thankfully Stiles actually listened to Derek as he ran after the fleeing creatures and stayed behind. The damned things got away from the wolf (how could they be that fast, maybe Stiles should do some more research) and Derek went back to where he left the teen.
He was not prepared for what he saw next. Stiles was standing in front of another teen that was cowering by a backhoe, his expression one of intense anger his eyes dark. Thanks to his superior vision Derek could tell that the normally amber eyes had turned a dark green that could have been mistaken for black in the low light. The most shocking thing was when Stiles raised his hand palm up an older man that was clearly the cowering teen's father floated 30 feet into the air.
"Stiles!" Derek yelled out. Stiles' concentration on the man broke and his eyes returned to their normal color as they went wide, clearly Derek wasn't meant to see that. The man Stiles had floated into the air suddenly fell to the ground and screamed out in pain, Derek definitely heard the snapping of a few bones when he landed. Derek rushed forward and after making sure the man was still breathing he turned to Stiles.
"What the hell was that?" Derek asked firmly. Stiles looked like he was about to run but his feet were firmly planted.
"You know what, you can tell me on the way to the hospital. Luckily you didn't break his back" Derek commanded.
"Fine but we're taking Gaila, your phallic compensation is too small for all of us" Stiles said in an even tone. Derek picked up the unconscious man then leveled a look at the scared teen.
"You're coming too. You've seen too much for me to be comfortable letting you out of my sight" Derek ordered then started off in the direction of Stiles jeep.
They were on their way to the hospital, the man still unconscious laying in the back seat, his son sitting silently beside him. Derek was glaring at Stiles while he drove.
"I'm waiting" Derek said impatiently.
"Look I've been meaning to tell you but it was never the right time. You were helping the betas learn control, you were busy helping Cora get settled, you had your eyes on Allison, and then ghouls were terrorizing the town." Stiles started.
"You're evading Stiles."
"I'm not human, well not entirely." Stiles said quickly his eyes darting to Derek's face to gauge his reaction.
"You don't say" Derek replied sarcastically which caused Stiles to fight back a smile. "What are you then?"
"Fae, on my mother's side" Stiles answered.
"So am I the only one who knows?" Derek asked and the look on Stiles face tells him his answer. "Who else?"
"I didn't know Cora was your sister when I told her and I used my powers to prank Allison and she caught me" Stiles explained sheepishly.
"Prank Allison…Don't tell me you've been using your powers to prank all those people around town. Stiles. Stiles!" Derek demanded. Stiles managed to look guilty for a second before he started making excuses.
"Now here's the thing, besides tonight I have never used my powers to hurt anyone. I've just played a few harmless pranks on people who frankly deserved it."
"Please tell me you're not the reason Jackson's car keeps breaking down" Derek asked in a resigned tone. Stiles grinned his answer which made Derek scowl.
"Alright here's how it's going to go down. You're going to stop the pranks, because frankly they're childish and I'm tired of fixing that stupid car. And I'm smelling blood but I don't see him bleeding. You, are you injured?" Derek asked suddenly turning to look at the curly haired boy in the back seat.
"N-no" the teen said then pointed to Stiles.
"Stiles pull over and let me look at you."
Stiles did as ordered and turned in his seat finally looking straight at Derek. That's when Derek noticed the cut on the side of the brunet's head.
"You've got a bleeding head wound and you didn't tell me" Derek said shrugging out his leather jacket and pulling off his shirt.
"What?" Stiles asked as he touched the side of his head and winced. "Must have been the adrenalin."
"How did this happen?"
"I stayed behind like you so politely asked and heard a commotion. I went to investigate and found that asshole about to beat him with a shovel" Stiles explained pointing from the still unconscious man to the curly haired teen as Derek pressed his shirt to the side of Stiles' head.
"Well I wasn't going to let that happen so I intervened in a completely normal way. I almost didn't sense the shovel coming for my head and was barely able to deflect it. I guess that's how this happened." Stiles finished gesturing to his head.
"Alright, just one last question. You're not secretly dating my little sister?"
"What, no. She's a great friend but totally not my type, too devious. I'm bad enough on my own, adding more to the pile is just asking for a disaster. Why do you ask?" Stiles asked nervously. Derek had noticed that the brunet's breathing and heart rate had increased and he was trying not to stare at Derek's shirtless torso.
"No reason, older brother's prerogative" Derek replied quickly. He lifted his now blood stained shirt from Stiles head, then pressed it back. "One thing's for sure, you're not driving anymore."
"Dude no! Gaila's my baby. I've seen how you drive, you'll hurt her." Stiles whined.
"Stiles I'm not taking no for an answer." Derek replied. Stiles pouted but relented with a muttered "Fine."
Soon they were back on the road with Derek driving.
"You're Isaac Lahey right?" Stiles asked turning to the curly haired teen in the backseat while holding Derek's shirt to his head.
"Yes" Isaac answered.
"Does your father get drunk and beat you often?" Stiles asked bluntly. Isaac opened his mouth to argue but closed it and sadly nodded.
"Hmm, Derek what do you think?" Stiles said sizing the kid up.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, he'd definitely benefit and would give him a family that actually gives a crap" Stiles argued.
"As long as he agrees" Derek replied as he continued to drive. Stiles smiled brightly and turned back to Isaac.
"So how would you like to be given the gift of strength, speed, super hearing and all around awesomeness." Stiles said a friendly tone. Isaac looked at him like he was crazy.
"There are some caveats and the possibility that your body isn't compatible, which ends in death; but if you are you'll have a way to defend yourself from most anything and a group of friends that are closer than family."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you becoming a werewolf" Stiles said brightly, which elicited a sour look from Derek (seriously Lycanthrope is a much better term).
"I don't believe you" Isaac said warily.
"Dude you just saw me do magic. I've confessed to not being completely human, which by the way can we keep to just us in the car. If you don't believe me, Derek demonstration please." Stiles explained with a flourish to Derek.
The alpha rolled his eyes and slowed the speed of the jeep before he sprouted claws and fangs, he even flashed his eyes for added effect. Derek could see Isaac's eyes go wide in the rearview mirror, and he changed back.
Stiles then went to explain the ups and downs of becoming a werewolf (dammit Stiles stop using that term), and in the end Isaac willingly agreed to join the pack. The last few miles they hammered out their story for the hospital staff as to why Mr. Lahey and Stiles were injured. Thankfully Melissa McCall was on duty and she took care of the skeptics. She then led Stiles into a private room and worked on cleaning and bandaging his head. Derek hovered in the corner wanting to make sure the lanky brunet was alright.
"So did Mr. Lahey really fall out of a tree because he was drunk or did this have to do with the supernatural?" Melissa asked.
"Stiles! You guys told her!" Derek growled.
"Oh yeah by the way that's Scott's alpha" Stiles said in way of introduction.
"I have some choice words for you but this is neither the time nor place. Now you didn't answer my question" Melissa said in a commanding tone.
"He fell, he was drunk, do any of the other details matter?" Stiles asked and winced as she pressed on his wound.
"I suppose not" Melissa sighed. She finished cleaning the wound and taped a gauze pad to Stiles temple.
Melissa left to do her rounds and Derek sat down next to Stiles.
"So what's it like to be Fae?" Derek asked.
"It's certainly not normal. I didn't really notice my powers until 6 months ago. My mom died before she thought I was ready to know so she bound them and wrote in a journal everything she had wished to teach me herself. The binding was supposed to release when I turned 18 but fae magic isn't always precise especially when in a weakened state." Stiles answered picking at his nails nervously.
Derek was about to ask some more questions when he suddenly heard Scott talking to his mother down the hall.
"Mom you've got to help, he's going to heal before the doctor has a chance to look at him" Scott said worriedly. Derek got up and found Scott standing nervously by the nurses station where Melissa quickly typed something into the computer and left.
"Scott what happened" Derek demanded in a hushed whisper.
"Derek! Jackson and I were chasing after a pair of ghouls and they darted across the highway. Jackson followed them and got hit by a car, thankfully he shifted back when he went down but the driver rushed him here before I could get to him." Scott explained. "Stiles what happened to your head?"
"I'll explain later. So still mad we told his mom?" Stiles said to Derek.
"No" Derek grumbled. Isaac walked over to them, curious as to what was happening.
"Oh bro, this is Isaac he's going to be joining the pack" Stiles introduced the curly haired teen to his best friend.
"Hi I'm Scott" the puppy said with that dopey smile of his and held out a hand.
"Isaac" The curly haired teen replied shaking Scott's hand. Derek noticed an odd look in Isaac's eyes and could hear the kid's heart beat slightly pick up speed. He also noticed that Stiles saw the odd look as well and was grinning mischievously (where's some Wolfsbane when you needed it?).
In less than an hour they were all leaving the hospital to reconvene with the rest of the pack at the loft. The speed in which they had gotten out of there made Derek start to think that whatever angry lecture Melissa McCall had in store for him could be endured if it meant she'd help them out like this in the future.
Most of the pack was assembled in the main room of the loft when Allison burst in.
"We have a serious problem." She stated as she approached the table the pack was standing around.
"What do you mean?" Stiles asked from Derek's right.
"I overheard my aunt, father and grandfather talking about how she knew where a pack of wolves were." Allison explained.
"How did she find us, did you tell her?" Cora asked suspiciously, she instantly distrusted who had any association with hunters and for good reason.
"No, my aunt overheard the wolves at the hospital and unless there's another pack in Beacon Hills, she's talking about you guys." Allison defended.
"See this is what you get for being a show off" Stiles directed to Jackson.
"Excuse me for running down a pair of ghouls, like I was ordered to." Jackson spat back from across the table. Derek could see Stiles building up for a long childish argument and decided to put a stop to that.
"Enough" Derek commanded letting a little of his alpha power bleed into it. Jackson deflated with a scowl and Stiles huffed.
Scott's cell phone rang and he answered it.
"Scott, you need to keep an eye out. A couple of hunters just came to my clinic looking for you. Tell your pack to lay low and not to start a fight you're not ready for." A voice on the other line said and then hung up.
"Wait, Deaton, how-" Scott said quickly but didn't get an answer. Derek glared at Scott.
"I swear I didn't tell him." Scott said.
"That makes him an emissary. Alright you guys heard him, we are not to engage with these hunters. Allison we're going to need to know what they look like so as to avoid any confrontations." Derek ordered.
"I'll try to sneak photos of the others but if I can borrow a laptop I can show you my parents, aunt, and grandfather." Allison replied. Stiles produced his from his bag under the table and slid it over to Allison.
Allison pulled up a photo from Facebook and turned it towards Derek. Cora snarled and if it wasn't for Boyd's quick reflexes she would have jumped over the table and attacked Allison.
"Erica help Boyd get her to the basement!" Derek commanded producing a set of keys and handing it over to the blonde. Derek looked over at the human members of the pack. Scott had shoved Isaac and Stiles behind him holding a defensive stance and Jackson had done the same for Allison. They didn't relax until Erica and Boyd had dragged a thrashing Cora out of the room.
"I know your sister doesn't like me but that gives her no right to try and attack me" Allison said angrily.
"Tell me is your aunt's name Kate?" Derek asked coldly, holding his turbulent emotions in.
"Yeah how do you know?" Allison answered.
"Because she was the one to set fire to our family home, Cora barely got out of there alive. I don't know if the rest of your family was involved but your aunt is responsible for the death of our entire family, innocents and humans included." Derek replied in dangerous tone. He was having a difficult time keeping his wolf under control, Kate had used him and killed his family and now she was back to do it again.
"You're wrong we have a code, my dad told me. We never hurt those who haven't harmed innocents." Allison cried out.
"Well she doesn't live by it. Now get out, I see where your true loyalties lie." Derek said in an authoritative tone. Allison glared at him but left.
"So what are you going to do?" Stiles asked.
"Nothing for now; Deaton told Scott we weren't ready for a fight with hunters. I'm going to go check on Cora." Derek answered before leaving the loft for the basement that he had made into a cage for the new betas.
Derek told Erica and Boyd to go as he opened the door finding Cora sitting on the ground next to it. Her eyes were puffy and red like she had cried after her initial anger had subsided. Derek sat down next to her keeping quiet until she was ready to speak.
"They killed our family." Cora said quietly.
"I know. Did you see anyone in that photo beside the blonde woman when it happened?" Derek asked.
"No, but the old man killed Peter." Cora replied. Derek looked at Cora, startled by that.
"He came to our house in the middle of the night. He had some other hunters with him. Peter hid me in a tunnel Carol had built in the basement and told me to run and don't come back. I didn't listen. There was a crack I could see through so I stayed and watched. They used a couple of cattle prods to subdue Peter then the bastards strung him up and after telling him the rest of the pack was dead the old man took a broadsword and sliced him in half. He then ordered the other hunters to burn the house down. That's when I ran." Cora detailed. Derek was horrified by what his sister had witnessed and pulled her into a hug.
"You can't let them get away with this." Cora pleaded quietly.
"They won't." Derek answered. He held onto Cora a little longer then helped her up and walked with her out of the basement. Stiles was in the hall and as Cora walked by the brunet drew her into a wordless hug. He let go after a few moments but stopped Derek from following his sister.
"You're going to go after them." It wasn't a question.
"You don't know what it's like to lose a member of the pack. It's like losing a limb. I'm not going to give them an opportunity to do it again." Derek replied.
"I understand that, you just need to think this through. Make a plan, don't go in halfcocked and hope your alpha powers will save you." Stiles said in a low voice. Derek forced down a smile, turning it into a scowl.
"Will you help me?" Derek asked. The surprise on the brunet's face was something Derek would cherish.
"What? You're actually asking for my help?" Stiles asked in a disbelieving tone.
"Please say yes before I start to regret this." Derek whined.
"You always say you regret my help but do you really?" Stiles countered.
"No" Derek muttered which caused a large smile to split across Stiles face and it made Derek's heart skip a beat.
"Alright first thing we should do is turn Isaac, you've said before that the pack is stronger the more members we have. It's a couple of weeks to the next full moon so we have plenty of time to teach him control." Stiles said as he walked back up to the loft, Derek following
"Whenever this confrontation goes down we should get Allison, Lydia and Danny out of town. Send Jackson with them for protection, he'd probably make a fuss about fighting Allison's family because of his big crush on her. Don't deny it douche nozzle." Stiles said as they walked in the door. Jackson made some annoyed noises from the kitchen and Derek snorted his amusement.
"Does the moon factor into how strong you are?" Stiles asked grabbing his mother's journal and flipping through it while he waited for an answer.
"Strongest during the full moon but our urges are the hardest to control. New moons and eclipses weaken us." Derek answered and stood next to Stiles as the brunet continued to flip through the journal. The slanted writing looked familiar and not because it was similar to Stiles' own handwriting.
"Alright we'll want this to be near the full moon but not during. I kind of want to lure them into a trap using Allison but it's better to not have that on her conscience." Stiles stopped looking through the journal and stood up straight.
"When subtlety is out be bold. Should I tell them about…" Stiles said as he gestured emphatically.
"Yes, then you can practice openly." Derek replied after reading a bit of the divination spell Stiles had left the journal open to. Stiles nodded.
"Hey guys I need to tell you something." Stiles said loudly enough to get the pack to gather where he and Derek stood.
"I'm not human." Stiles said hesitantly.
"I knew it!" Jackson exclaimed victoriously. Derek glared and Jackson didn't start ranting.
"Well then what are you?" Erica asked her expression curious.
"Fae, well only half. My father's human and my mother was fae." Stiles explained.
"What does that mean?" Scott asked.
"It means I'm connected to the earth and can use magic. I'm telling you this because we're running into a situation where I'm going to need to use my magic a bit more openly." Stiles answered.
"Now that that's done, Derek bite Isaac so we can all go home and get some rest, I'm going to need the whole pack here tomorrow so I can perform this." Stiles said holding up his mother's journal open to the spell.
Derek rolled his eyes then turned to Isaac.
"I'm sorry but this is going to hurt" the alpha apologized before wolfing out and biting Isaac's arm. The boy cried out but Scott was there to keep him from jerking his arm away and causing more damage. Derek had studied up on human anatomy not long after recruiting Scott to figure out the best place to bite a potential pack member, to where he decided the arm was fine as long as he avoided the tendons.
He let go and changed back, wiping the blood off of his mouth.
"I'd offer you the couch but it's not that comfortable." Derek said in a calm tone, not wanting to freak the teen out anymore. He looked to Stiles and the brunet shook his head.
"My dad will ask questions and he's not ready for the truthful answers." Stiles said.
"I'm sure my mom won't mind him staying with us. Plus she'll be able to bandage this properly." Scott offered after going to the kitchen for a clean dishtowel and wrapped it around Isaac's arm.
The next day just before sunset Stiles had the pack gathered in a circle around a large dish filled with water. Right before performing the ritual the brunet had Lydia look over the spell and asked her opinion on pronunciation because she had an affinity for languages.
As the sun started to set Stiles began chanting in Old Irish, the pack holding hands; halfway through the chant the water started to shimmer and a series of images started forming on the surface. Everyone but Lydia and Stiles were confused by the images but Derek trusted them to explain when it was over. As the ritual came to a close Derek had a nagging feeling this wasn't the first time he'd been involved in this sort of divination spell.
Stiles' shoulders slumped and Derek could feel him sway next to him, to where the alpha put a hand on his lower back to steady him.
"Are you alright?" Derek asked, concerned.
"Yeah that just took a lot out of me; I've never performed a spell that involved before." Stiles explained quietly. The brunet shook his head and stood up straight.
"Alright what did the picture show tell you?" Jackson sneered crossing his arms.
"We'd have the most success under the three-quarter moon. But to beware a certain plant; did anybody recognize the plant the image of death was pointing at?" Stiles asked.
"Wolfsbane" Cora supplied. Stiles nodded.
"What about that abandoned building?" Boyd asked, he was still holding Erica's hand even though the ritual was over.
"I think that's where the fight is going to take place. Has anyone seen it around town?" Stiles asked.
"Over on first in the warehouse district." Lydia said quietly. "I keep ending up there when I'm not paying attention."
Stiles looked at Lydia with his head tilted to the side like he was seeing something that no one else could see, but then shook his head slightly before speaking again.
"Alright, we've got a little over a week until the three-quarter moon. Danny, Lydia, Jackson figure something out that'll get you and Allison out of town for that night." Stiles said, in a tone close to commanding. Derek raised an eyebrow before adding, "The rest of you should spar and work on attacking in a not too obvious way; these are hunters skilled in fighting wolves."
"Stiles, can I talk to you?" Derek asked as the pack broke up. Stiles nodded then walked to the kitchen. He set down his ever present leather journal on the counter and rummaged around the fridge until he produced some carrot sticks and ranch dip. Stiles face crinkled but he started eating anyway.
"That spell took a lot out of me and I'm starving, this is fast." Stiles defended when he noticed Derek was just staring at him.
"Stiles do you have a picture of your mother?" Derek blurted out.
"Uh, yeah; just inside the cover of her journal. Why?" Stiles answered, while shoving a few carrot sticks in his mouth. Derek undid the buckle of the journal and opened it up to see a picture of a beautiful brunet woman hugging a young Stiles.
"I think your mom was friends with my mom." Derek said quietly as he stared at the familiar woman.
"Uh yeah I've been meaning to say something about that." Stiles said hesitantly.
"What?" Derek asked sharply.
"My mom wrote it in her journal. She was friends with your mom and helped her often with all things supernatural that came through Beacon Hills. Shortly after the fire, my mom got really sick and passed away." Stiles explained.
"Then why didn't I know you?" Derek wondered aloud.
"I suspect my mom wanted to keep me safe from that kind of life for as long as possible." Stiles answered, dragging a carrot stick in swirling patterns through the ranch.
"That makes sense; what I remember of Claudia is that she was very protective and had this warm rich laughter that filled you with happiness." Derek mused leaning on the island counter across from Stiles. The brunet smiled softly obviously remembering this about his mother. Derek returned the smile and stood up straight.
"Come on let's get you something real to eat" Derek said as he opened the fridge and started pulling out ingredients.
"You know how to cook?" Stiles asked.
"Laura was crap at the domestic stuff, so I had to learn." Derek explained. He settled on making a simple Bolognese sauce with spaghetti and Stiles pitched in with homemade garlic bread. For the most part Stiles just sat on a counter watching as Derek cooked, and when the food was nearly done Scott, Isaac and Cora stuck their heads into the kitchen.
"Woah Derek's cooking, you sure we don't want to order out?" Cora teased. Scott and Isaac looked nervously at Cora then Derek's back.
"Shut up and get the table set." Derek replied. Cora chuckled but did as told, Stiles sliding off the counter so she could get to the plates.
To only Jackson's surprise the food was delicious; Stiles hadn't been lying when he said the spell took a lot out of him because he ate twice as much as he usually did. The conversation around the table was subdued because of what was ahead of them. Derek sat there silently reviewing each of the betas strengths and what he needed each of them to work on.
As the pack got up to leave, Derek stopped them.
"Until I say otherwise I need all of you to report here right after school. Seeing as it's the off season for Lacrosse, that shouldn't be a problem. And that includes you Stiles." Derek commanded.
"Huh, what?" Stiles yawned.
"You heard me and have somebody drive you home, you shouldn't be driving this tired." Derek replied. Isaac volunteered with Scott planning to follow on his bike and Stiles grudgingly handed over his keys.
After the pack left and the loft was clean, Derek retired to his room with a stack of books Laura had insisted he take with him when they had separated, shortly after he attained his alpha powers. She had said they'd help make him a better alpha, to which he had scoffed and never thought to read until now. Come to find out they were journals his mother had written as an instruction manual should one of her children become alpha of their own pack. Derek smiled as he read the passage specifically written to him and wondered if Talia had gotten the idea from Claudia or the other way around. These were two women cut from the same cloth and it wasn't a wonder they were such close friends (and if Derek was being truly honest with himself, he and Stiles were the same way. But who wants to be honest).
The next day Derek sent the betas down to the basement to get started, then showed Stiles to the room where he kept most of his books on the supernatural. Technically it could be called a library but it paled in comparison to the one his mom had.
Dr. Deaton was already waiting in the room, looking through a large tome. The dark skinned man looked up and smiled, closing the book.
"I was wondering when your mother's spell was going to break." Deaton said to Stiles.
"You knew her too?" Stiles asked.
"I was emissary to the Hale pack and with how close Claudia and Talia were it was difficult not to know her." Deaton replied.
"So what you're going to be my Yoda and teach me magic?" Stiles said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"If you want to put it that, yes" Deaton said with a sigh.
"Alright where do we start?" Stiles answered with a shrug. He was taking this in his usual Stiles fashion and it baffled Derek how the brunet could just roll with something.
"You learning how to speak and read Old Irish properly and how to calm your mind." Deaton said sliding the large book he had been looking at earlier towards Stiles.
"Aww man really. Dead languages are Lydia's thing." Stiles whined.
"Do you want to leave it up to chance when a subtle pronunciation difference is what makes a spell work or blow up in your face?" Deaton challenged.
"Alright alright, let the resurrection begin." Stiles conceded, his arms flailing. Derek chose to leave then, knowing when he wasn't needed.
The next week was busy as every member of the pack put in an effort to prepare for the upcoming fight. At night Derek would find himself in the kitchen talking strategy with Stiles as they prepared dinner. With their talks, Derek learned the progress of Stiles lessons with Deaton. The brunet had apparently picked up Old Irish fairly quickly though he still had problems quieting his mind, but Derek suspected that would come with time.
The night before the fight Derek had the pack stay at Scott's house (it was bigger than the loft and he needed to keep an eye on them so they didn't do anything stupid). Melissa finally had the talk with Derek she had promised that night at the hospital, but in the end she sighed and shook her head, conceding that Scott's social life and school work were doing better now that he had the pack to rely on. Derek had to admit that Scott's mother had guts and he was glad that she unintentionally took on role of mother to the pack. There were very few grumbles when she ordered lights out at midnight.
Derek was lying in bed, wide awake and trying not to dwell on the next day when he caught a familiar scent outside the guest room. When it didn't fade Derek looked at the door and huffed.
"Come in Stiles." The alpha called quietly. The door opened slightly and the lanky teen slipped inside.
"How'd you… right wolf senses." Stiles started to ask then answered himself when Derek raised an eyebrow.
Stiles flopped down on the bed next to Derek and the alpha was glad the fae didn't have his superior hearing as his heart started to race. Derek took a deep breath trying to calm his rapid heartbeat.
"You nervous about tomorrow?" Stiles asked after laying next to the wolf in silence for a few minutes.
"Nervous isn't quite what I feel." Derek replied. Stiles turned on his side to look at Derek's expression.
"We've planned this meticulously, made contingency plans; but no matter how well you plan, something can always go wrong." Derek explained. Stiles nodded grimly and turned to lay on his back.
"I've been thinking over the last couple of days." Stiles said after a few minutes of silence. Derek hummed his interest.
"I don't think it was a coincidence that not long after the fire my mother died." Stiles continued. Derek was interested but knew by now not to interrupt Stiles if he wanted to hear what the brunet had to say without sarcasm.
"I don't know how but I think they got to my mother as well. They made her sick and killed her by making it look like cancer." Stiles whispered angrily. There was a slight scent of salt in the air and Derek could tell that Stiles was holding back tears.
"Like I told Cora, they'll pay for what they've done." Derek whispered back and without thinking he put an arm around Stiles and pulled the brunet close to him. Stiles didn't say anything, just sniffed and nodded his head against Derek's chest.
As Stiles fell asleep, Derek found himself panicking. What was he doing? All the legends said it was perilous to get involved with fae. He should know better. Besides the kid was still underage; sure his eighteenth birthday was a month and a half away (no he was not counting the days, shut up), Derek did not want to risk the wrath of Sheriff Stilinski. Sure the man was only human, but even the most determined humans could make a wolf's life difficult. Gods what was he even thinking, he should just wake Stiles up and tell him to go back to his own bed.
When Derek looked over to Stiles, planning to shake the brunet awake, his hand fell limply to his side. He looked at peace with the world, the worried tension around his eyes that had become part of his expression in the past week melted away. Derek set his head back down on the pillow and fell asleep staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out which circle of hell this put him in.