The small study was quiet, the atmosphere tense and heavy. The short redhead stared down at the man behind the desk, watching as he struggled to hold back the shift. It was so easily triggered these days.

"It's our only option, Scott," Lydia said quietly, her face apologetic but determined. "It's been weeks. We've been through territory after territory. The only way a pack is going to let us stay is if we offer an alliance."

"What do we give them, huh?" Scott shook his head, running his fingers through his hair in agitation. "We don't have anything. No land, no name, no money."

Lydia rolled her eyes. "We have power. A True Alpha, a hunter, a spark? Those aren't just words, Scott. They mean something in the supernatural world."

Exhaling slowly, Scott stood from the worn leather chair behind the desk and nodded. "Alright. How do we do this?"

Lydia sat on the edge of the desk, careful to not disturb any of the various magical instruments spread out across the beaten wood, and crossed one leg over the over, draping her hands on her thighs. "You call the Alpha of the Hale pack, Talia. I've heard from various sources that she's a sensible woman. She'll listen if you tell her the situation. Then, she'll most likely ask what you want from her. You explain you're willing to ally with her pack through marriage."

"Wait, marriage?! You didn't say anything about marriage!"

Rolling her eyes, Lydia scoffed and shook her head. "We're offering our power. The best way to do that would be to tell the truth about what we can do if we're refused, and then to guarantee loyalty by tying one of our pack to one of theirs."

"And who do we offer?" Scott asked, his voice high in distress as he spoke around fangs that continuously slid in and out. His similarly shifting claws scratched over the sleeves of his shirt after he crossed his arms. "Me? You? Allison?!"

"Please, Scott," Lydia rolled her eyes again. "You never use the Alpha for these kinds of negotiations. They're pacifists, not warriors, so I'm useless to them. And do you really think they're going to accept an Argent after that fiasco with her aunt a few years ago? Get real. No, we give them Stiles."

Scott's jaw dropped in shock. "You're not serious. Stiles?! He's like a fucking time bomb, just waiting to explode. He'd destroy them!"

A vicious smile spread across Lydia's face. "Exactly. He's always been our secret weapon, and he will be again this time. We offer what appears to be a slightly below average emissary, they accept with sympathy because they think we can't afford to give away anyone better. Stiles marries and, if he happens to come to any harm either because of the Hales or their negligence, he destroys them."

Understanding melted over Scott's handsome face, leaving a dark glint in his eyes. "We call foul, they forfeit the territory to us, and we end up with Stiles and a few thousand acres of land."

"The story of the fallout will carry and smaller packs like ours will come begging for asylum," Lydia finished. She brought a thin shoulder up in an indifferent shrug. "Then again, it could go the complete opposite."

Scott snorted. "What, like Stiles marries and it ends up being happily ever after for him and his spouse? Yeah, right."

"Either way," Lydia raised her hands in a balancing gesture. "It's a win-win."

"Alright," Scott conceded. "It's our only option, so it's the option we'll take. Do you know how to get in contact with Talia Hale?"

Lydia smiled prettily as she held out her cell phone, screen up so Scott could see the number displayed.

"Better hurry. It's ringing."

Grabbing the phone, Scott brought it up to his ear and motioned Lydia out of the study. She rolled her eyes but left anyway, closing the door behind her. That was good. Everyone in the pack knew that if the study door was closed, Serious Business was happening.

He listened to the tinny ringing of the phone and took a deep breath, drawing on every drop of power he'd ever had. He'd need to stay calm and confident for this to work.

There was a click and then a woman spoke.

"Hello?"

"Hello," Scott replied, keeping his voice slow and steady. "This is Scott McCall. I'm looking for Talia Hale."

"This is Talia. What can I do for you, Alpha McCall?"

"Alpha Hale, I have a proposition for you."

"Go on."

"As you know, my pack is quite small but very powerful. We've been able to pull ourselves out of the fire a lot, but it's getting a bit...rough. We'd like to settle down, but for that we'd need somewhere to do so."

"I'm sorry, Alpha McCall," Talia spoke quietly as loud thump came over the line. She must have moved somewhere else and shut the door, Scott mused. "What exactly is it you want from me?"

Scott took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I'd like to propose an alliance by marriage between our packs."

There was silence over the line for several minutes before Talia spoke. When she did, her voice hovered between surprised and amused.

"Alpha McCall-"

"Please," Scott cut her off, wincing. "It's just Scott."

"Then it's just Talia," Talia agreed. "Scott, are you aware of who exactly is in my pack? Do you even know which of them could potentially be married off?"

"Um, of the twenty or so members of your pack," Scott began hesitantly. "I'd say your son and your two daughters could be potentials."

Talia laughed softly. "To correct a popular misconception, Scott, I have three daughters. However, Amilia was born human and moved away quite some time ago. Laura, Derek, and Cora could be potentials, yes, but there's also my brother."

"I'm sorry," Scott apologized, a little dazed. "Did you say your brother?"

"Yes, Peter," Talia confirmed. She was quiet for a moment. When she continued, her voice was sad. "I worry about him constantly."

"I'm sorry," Scott repeated, this time sincere and sympathetic. He was still a little confused about how Peter could be a potential, though.

As if she could read his mind, Talia hurriedly reassured him. "There's nothing wrong with him, of course, but he's my younger brother and I worry. I know he's quite a bit older than anyone in your pack so obviously he's not really a potential. He just has a hard time connecting with other people, that's all, so he's never married. Really. It's perfectly natural for-"

Talia Hale babbles when she gets nervous, Scott thought with awe. He had trouble thinking of the Hale Alpha as a regular woman but this new information was helping him with that. Nevertheless, something in him was pushing for him to correct her.

"No," Scott blurted out, a little loud and shaky.

"-excuse me?"

Scott shook his head even though he knew Talia couldn't see him. "If you're willing to offer him, we'd be happy to consider him. Stiles is different, too, so I never really know what he'll do."

"Stiles?" Talia questioned, her voice slow and considering. "Your emissary?"

"Yes," Scott confirmed. "He's really the only one we can offer right now. Unless you would prefer Kira or Isaac."

"Kira is a kitsune, yes?" Talia asked. "And Isaac is just a beta?"

"Right. The rest of our pack is in various stages of courting. Well, except Lydia."

"The banshee? Why is she not offered?"

Scott glanced at the study door reflexively, checking that it was shut. It was, but he lowered his voice anyway. "Lydia...she was married to a deputy before we left home. He was killed."

"My condolences," Talia offered sincerely. Her voice was just as quiet as Scott's. "Was it in the massacre that stole your parents?"

Closing his eyes tight against vivid memories, Scott shook his head. "No. He made it out with us, but he was...lost in a encounter with a vengeful alpha."

"I'm so sorry. Of course, we will take Stiles," Talia replied, pushing through the depressing silence. "Perhaps you could come here this weekend? That way he could spend some time with the potentials."

"That sounds fine," Scott answered. "We're in agreement, then? We enter an alliance by marriage and my pack can stay in your territory?"

Talia laughed, a bright and sudden sound. "Is that what this was about? Scott, if you wanted to stay here in Beacon Hills, all you had to do was ask. As it is now, I feel as if my pack has gotten the much better deal. I'll see you Saturday."

"Saturday it is," Scott managed to choke out before a click signaled the end of the phone call.

He moved to the door mechanically, opening it to make his way downstairs where Lydia had gathered the rest of the pack. He gave her the cell phone and turned to face his pack, the shock keeping him dazed and quiet.

"Lydia told us who you were on the phone with," Allison spoke up, staring up at her boyfriend from her place on the couch. "Why were you talking to the Hale Alpha?"

"I..." Scott shook his head, clearing away the daze. He coughed and spoke again. "I was trying to get an alliance."

"Why?" Erica asked. She was sitting in the floor, leaning back against her boyfriend's legs while Boyd reached down to smooth a hand over her hair. "We've never allied with anyone."

Stiles made a sound deep in his throat, not looking up from his book. "I hope it was so we could stay here. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm a little tired of the nomadic, near death life we've been living. It's gotten a bit old."

There were murmurs of agreement from the rest of the pack, including Jackson who never agreed with Stiles about anything.

"We can stay," Scott confirmed, watching the pack nervously. "But only because I decided to ally us by marriage."

"Oh, Scotty, you didn't," Stiles groaned, dropping his head back. "Why would you do that?"

"I think the better question is who did you do it to?" Kira asked quietly, her eyes disappointed but understanding.

Scott stood there, at the mercy of his pack, in silence. Minutes ticked by and no one said a word. Everyone was getting more and more tense as the silence dragged on. Right when Scott thought they would snap in half, Stiles caught his attention.

His brother in all but blood had finally lowered his book and looked up at him knowingly. The resignation in Stiles's amber eyes was breaking Scott's heart.

"It's me."

Everyone turned to look at Stiles in surprise.

"Scott would never make anyone leave their partner," Stiles explained quietly. He didn't need to speak up when everyone was so focused on him. "Erica and Boyd, Jackson and Danny, you guys are safe by definition of being a couple. Offering the Alpha is foolish and offering an Argent would be insulting, so Scott and Allison are safe."

"What about the rest of us?" Isaac butt in, curling his fingers around each other in worry. Scott knew what he really meant. What about me?

"You're a prize, that's for sure," Stiles agreed as he stood from where he had been draped across the window seat. "But my guess is that Lydia told Scott to offer me and, when he did, Talia Hale just would not hear about anyone else. Am I right, or am I right?"

"Don't be like that, Stiles. You know you're our best bet," Lydia said, shooting her friend a poisonous glare.

Stiles gave her a twisted smile in return. "It's a win-win. Right, Lydia?"

Lydia stiffened in surprise, her eyes widening just the tiniest bit.

"You know," Stiles began in a saccharine voice. "It's unbelievable what you can hear from inside your own study. So, why don't you go ahead, Scott? Tell me what my Alpha wants me to do."

Scott dropped his eyes from the fiery anger in Stiles's own gaze. "I want you to marry one of the Hales."

"I'm sorry," Stiles apologized insincerely, ignoring the stunned looks from the rest of the pack. "I couldn't hear you with how weak your voice was. You want me to what?!"

Scott winced at the assault on his sensitive hearing. He'd known before he was bitten that Stiles could get loud, but he'd never been able to hear the sharp piercing that he could now.

"I want you to marry one of the Hales," Scott repeated, his voice strong and commanding. If Stiles wanted to be ordered by his Alpha, that's what Scott would do.

Freezing at the power coming from Scott, Stiles stepped back and took a deep breath. Some of the anger drained away, but the hurt at being used as a bargaining chip was still pulsing through him. When he spoke again, his voice was soft and broken.

"Do you even know who you're handing me over to? Or am I just going to be the pack bicycle?"

"No!" Scott disagreed, his voice loud enough to raise over the shouts of the other pack members. "There's only a few potentials in the Hale pack anyway. It will be you and one of them. That's it."

"So it's either Laura, Derek, or Cora," Danny offered. "If it's Laura, you could end up as the Alpha Mate."

Before Scott could correct Danny, Stiles was already shaking his head. His eyes were flicking from Danny to Scott and back again rapidly.

"No, no," Stiles murmured, bringing his hands up to pull at his hair. "That's not right. Why is that not right, Scott?"

Stepping forward, Scott grabbed Stiles's hands and brought them down, holding onto them carefully. "Stiles, it's okay. You're right. There's another potential other than Talia's children."

"Who is it?" Lydia asked, curious and a bit upset. She hated being the last to know something.

"Talia's brother," Scott answered, watching Stiles as he slowly let go of the other man's hands. "His name is Peter."

"If he's Talia's brother, he must be older," Stiles said quietly. "Why hasn't he married?"

"She says he has trouble with other people." Scott hesitated a little before adding, "She also said he was her younger brother, if that helps any."

Jackson shifted in his place on the couch by Danny and spoke up, giving Stiles his own special brand of help. "Well, if that's true, then he's a perfect match for you, Stiles. There's no one else I've ever known that has as much trouble with people than you."

"Oh, shut up, Jackass," Stiles snapped halfheartedly, sticking his tongue out at the other man childishly. "I am the epitome of social grace."

Jackson snorted but didn't say anything else.

"Alright, okay, I can do this." Stiles took some deep breaths, counting them as he would if he was having a panic attack. He looked at Scott. "So who's the unlucky winner?"

Scott barked out a laugh and ran a hand over his hair. "We don't know actually yet. Talia has asked us to come out to their house to meet everybody. I think she wants a look at how well they all react to you, and then she'll make her decision. You know, like she wants to see who you're more comfortable with so it's easier for you."

"Oh, Scotty," Stiles sighed as all the fight drained out of him. He leaned forward and hugged the man who had become his brother. "Don't ever change. When's this party happening?"

"This weekend."

-x-x-x-x-

"-and remember that the McCall pack is coming by the house today to meet with all of you."

"You know, you never did tell me what that was about," Laura told her mother, holding her phone between her ear and shoulder as she worked on an e-mail to her older sister. "They've been here for almost a month. Why are they coming by now?"

"Alpha McCall and I agreed to an alliance by marriage," Talia replied. "They're offering their emissary, Stiles. Today is so he can get to know all of you a little better."

"Wait, you mean I'm a potential?" Laura questioned incredulously. "Mom, come on!"

A heavy sigh came over the line. "Laura, until you take over as alpha, you are eligible for all negotiations. You know that."

"Yeah, but come on! Wasting the heir on some little magician? Why didn't you just give them Cora?"

"Contrary to what you might believe, Laura, their emissary is quite the prize for our pack," Talia told her daughter, voice hard and frosty. "You will treat this pack with the utmost respect. The choice is up to you as Acting Alpha, of course, but so help me, Laura, if I get home tomorrow to find out that you've ruined this alliance like the last one-"

"Mom!" Laura interrupted, whining just a little. "That was an accident!"

"Be that as it may," Talia sighed again. "We cannot afford to offend this pack."

Laura rolled her eyes, taking advantage of the fact that her mother couldn't see her. "Just because they've been able to pull off a few tricks doesn't mean they're anything special."

"Remind me to show you their file tomorrow. It'll be an interesting read for you, I'm sure."

"Yeah, yeah. Was there anything else?"

"Just one thing," Talia admitted, her voice wavering a little.

Narrowing her eyes, Laura glared at the desk in front of her suspiciously. "...what?"

"Make sure Peter knows about the meeting, won't you, darling? He is a potential, after all. I offered to leave him off, but Scott disagreed."

"What?!"

"Give my love to everyone! See you tomorrow!"

"Mom!"

Click.

Growling fiercely, Laura threw her phone and didn't even watch as it hit the wall and shattered. Sometimes her mother was the most frustrating person in her life. The rest of the time, she was only the second most frustrating.

There was nothing to be done about it now, though. Now, she had to get Derek to coax Peter out of his room and convince Cora to not kill their guests.

She sighed heavily and left her mother's office, closing the door tight behind herself.

"Derek!" Laura yelled, waiting impatiently for an answer. When she still hadn't gotten one a minute later, she yelled again. "DEREK!"

"What?" Derek asked, appearing at the top of the stairs. He was flushed and sweaty from whatever he had been doing, an angry scowl fixed on his face.

"You know, if you weren't so uptight, I'd think you were jerking it."

Derek scrunched his nose in disgust. "That's disgusting, Laura. What do you want?"

Hesitating, Laura decided that it would be better if she just motioned instead of speaking. If she said the words out loud, Peter might hear her and hide away. She pointed at Derek, then up to the ceiling and slightly to the left, and then down at her feet.

Shaking his head quickly, Derek hissed down at her. "Are you out of your fucking mind? You do it!"

Laura repeated her series of points, ending it with a hard stomp of her foot.

Derek's shoulders slumped. "Cora?"

Another stomp.

Derek exhaled harshly and scowled at her again. "Fine, but I'm not happy about it."

"Are you ever happy about anything?" Cora asked, appearing behind Derek. Her nose twitched a little before she glared at her brother. "You reek."

"Do it now, Derek," Laura commanded. "We don't have much time. Cora, come down here and wait with me."

Shrugging in indifference, Cora made her way down the stairs and stood patiently by her sister. "What are we waiting for?"

Laura did her pointing again, but ended it with a squeak when a voice upstairs said, "Is that how you're doing it now? Last month it was pencil and paper. You could always just call me down like the rest of the house."

"Uncle Peter," Cora greeted, not moving from Laura's side. "It's so nice to see you. How long has it been?"

"Not long enough," Peter muttered, not even pretending like he didn't want them to hear him.

However long it had been, Laura had to admit to herself that he wasn't looking as bad as she had feared. He was clean, his facial hair was trimmed, his clothes didn't smell. All in all, if it wasn't for the mad shine to his eyes, Laura might mistake him for a productive member of society instead of a crazy hermit.

"Why am I here?" Peter demanded, keeping a tight grip on the banister of the stairs as if it was the only thing holding him there.

"As I'm sure you all know," Laura began. "we're having visitors today."

"Yes, that ragtag bunch of teenagers," Peter rolled his eyes. "What does that have to do with me?"

Laura smiled up at him innocently. "Funny you should ask, Uncle Peter. It seems they're here for an alliance by marriage. Everyone in this room is a potential."

If she hadn't been so focused on Peter, Derek and Cora's shouts of horror might have covered the tiny gasp that had been Peter's reaction. To his credit, he didn't even really look that surprised.

"Calm down," Laura ordered her siblings, watching Peter from the corner of her eye. "The chances of their intended choosing either one of you are slim to none."

"Why do you say that?" Cora asked as she started flexing her claws nervously.

"Well, for one thing, you're all horrible potentials whereas I am awesome," Laura said arrogantly, holding in a smile as she caught the rude looks her siblings were giving her. "Derek, Cora's right. You reek. And Cora, I'm afraid you might break their intended in half just on principle. Peter...just try not to scare them away, alright?"

Derek glared at her halfheartedly. "I don't suppose I have time for a shower before they get here?"

"Oh, you do," Laura assured. "In fact, you all have time to primp yourselves until you are the best version of you that you'll ever be. Mom is adamant that we follow through on this alliance, but seems to think I'm going to mess it up. That's why the three of you will be taking control of the situation."

Derek and Cora nodded before disappearing upstairs, likely to lock themselves away in their rooms until it was showtime.

"The whole hiding-away-from-the-world thing is a really worrying family trait," Laura said to herself, forgetting for just a second that Peter was still standing on the stairs.

"It does seem to be hereditary," Peter agreed, staring down at his nails in a bored fashion.

Squeaking again, Laura looked up at her uncle. She felt for him, really, she did. That had to be why she found herself saying what she said next.

"You know, Mom offered to keep you off the list."

"Of course she did," Peter agreed, humming deep in his throat as he examined his claws carefully. "She probably thought I had nothing to offer the McCall pack."

Laura cleared her throat nervously. "Their Alpha thinks you do."

Peter glanced down at her, his face oddly vulnerable. "What did you say?"

"Alpha McCall," Laura repeated. "When Mom offered to keep you off the list, he was determined to keep you on. He obviously thinks you're worthy of their intended, at least."

"Perhaps," Peter said quietly, nodding slowly. "Perhaps."

-x-x-x-x-

If there was any way to make this situation even more awkward, Stiles was certain it would happen soon. He was sitting across from the Hale siblings, Scott and Allison on either side of him. No one was saying a word.

"Right," Stiles spoke up, his voice shaky and quiet. "No offense, Laura, but this isn't really working out for me."

Laura tensed and looked at him with wide eyes. "What are you saying? You won't go through with the alliance?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Stiles saw Peter shake his head in exasperation but dismissed it as he listened to Scott.

"Maybe if Stiles could talk to each of you separately, he could get a better picture of what everyone's like?" Scott suggested, nudging Stiles conspicuously in the side with his sharp elbow.

"That would work," Stiles nodded in agreement, feeling anxiety and desperation creeping over him slowly. Whether it was his own or bleeding through from the Hales, he didn't know. Laura did seem awfully focused on securing their alliance. "Could I get some water before we start?"

"Yes, of course," Laura waved a hand at where Peter was standing against the wall and continued. "Peter, why don't you show Stiles the kitchen? The two of you could talk first."

Peter kicked off the wall and started toward the door, not waiting for Stiles to catch up. That was fine for Stiles. He liked it when people showed themselves to be more than mindless sheep who did nothing but ask 'how high' whenever their alpha said 'jump'. It was a refreshing change from what he usually came across, even within his own pack.

Keeping his steps long and quick, Stiles was able to follow Peter to the kitchen with ease, but didn't say anything until the older man had pulled a glass out of an overhead cabinet and filled it with water from the tap.

"Thank you," Stiles said softly, taking the glass from Peter's hand carefully. He ignored the quick flash of fire and pain that had come through when his fingers brushed against the wolf's. At this point, he was quite familiar with the memory transfer that happened when he touched other people.

Peter simply nodded and leaned against the sink, grasping the edge of the counter in his hands tightly.

"Can I ask you something?" Stiles blurted out, his mouth running miles ahead of his brain like usual. He waited for Peter to nod again before he continued. "Why are you even a potential? Shouldn't you be holding a different role by now? Or does your sister just want you to hurry up and marry?"

"That was several somethings," Peter answered, his voice low and just a little taunting. He smirked at Stiles with just a hint of fang.

At the sound of Peter's voice, Stiles felt something in him shift. Like the empathy and the memory transfer, this was something that happened quite often. However, this time it was like something shifting away instead of moving into place. It was almost as if his consciousness was making room for Peter.

He took a long sip from his water and set the glass on the island behind him, licking his lips slowly. "My bad."

Peter shook his head, staring at Stiles's mouth with a laser-like focus. "No harm done. To answer what I suppose is just the beginning of a ridiculous amount of questions, I don't know."

"You don't know," Stiles repeated skeptically.

"Not really," Peter said quietly. "It's true that things should be different by now. They might have been if the past had been different, too."

"Kate."

A harsh growl sounded. Stiles watched as Peter's eyes flared and his shift melted into place quickly. He supposed it might be a bit disturbing for someone who was meant to have so much control to shift so suddenly, but it was a familiar sight to Stiles. Ever since Scott became alpha while they were on the move, his brother's control had been failing. Facing a shifted beta after spending days with a feral alpha didn't bother Stiles.

Not even when Peter started toward him, a predatory look on his face.

Not even when the wolf was looming over him, caging him against the counter.

Not even when a sharply clawed hand raised into the air and landed on his cheek.

"Peter!"

Stiles stayed calm as Peter's claws dug into the thin skin of his face in reaction to Laura's shout. It was a stinging sort of pain, but compared to past few months of Stiles's life it was nothing. He glanced up at Peter and stared into the wolf's eyes as he spoke.

"It's alright, Laura," Stiles said quietly, staying relaxed and pliant in Peter's grasp. He was vaguely aware of his hands moving, one wrapping around the wrist by his face and one settling over Peter's heart gently. "We're just talking. Just getting to know each other."

As Stiles spoke, his voice as soft and soothing as he could make it, he saw Peter's shift fade away little by little. By the time Laura spoke again, the only sign of the shift left was Peter's steel blue eyes. They burned into Stiles's own with a cold fire, but he didn't flinch.

"Stiles, he could kill you like that," Laura said, hovering in the doorway to the kitchen nervously.

"He could," Stiles agreed, holding back a grin as he watched Peter relax, a pleased expression spreading over his face. "He won't, though. Not today."

"Not today," Peter repeated in acknowledgment. He brushed the tip of his thumb gently over the thin trails of blood sliding down Stiles's face.

Stiles nodded and turned to Laura, trying not to laugh at her frenzied appearance. He was almost certain that she was worrying more about what her mother would do if the alliance fell through, rather than what Scott would do if Stiles died at the hands of the Hale pack. He smiled at her pleasantly, not moving any further away from Peter.

"Please leave us, Laura," he requested kindly. "We'll meet you back in the den in a few minutes."

Laura hesitated a little, but nodded slowly. "If you're sure."

As she walked away, Stiles turned back toward Peter and frowned at the resigned look on the werewolf's face. It was as if, now that their only witness was gone, Peter was ready for Stiles to tear him a new one without any repercussions.

"I'm sorry."

Peter blinked wildly for a minute. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry," Stiles repeated, nervous laughter bubbling out of him as quickly as his heart was pounding. He took a few deep breaths to calm his hysteria before continuing. "Sometimes I say things without thinking. It's a curse really. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Waving the apology away, Peter shook his head and said, "It's alright. I shouldn't have reacted so...violently."

"Violently?" Stiles laughed brightly. "If you were violent, I would be laying on the floor with a serious case of the death right now."

"I hurt you," Peter objected, gesturing to Stiles's face.

Stiles brought up a hand and wiped at his cheek. When he looked at his fingers, he wasn't surprised at what he saw. "Peter, you reacted instinctively yet controlled yourself to an extent that I've never seen before. Sure, you brought blood, but I don't think these little pinpricks will even scar."

"Will your alpha see it that way?" Peter asked curiously.

"You leave Scott to me," Stiles said, confident that Scott would see the situation however Stiles told him to. He smiled at Peter. "Come on. Let's get back to the others before Laura has heart attack."

The atmosphere tensed suddenly. Peter stepped away from Stiles, severing all contact with him, and clenched his fists at his sides.

"Right," Peter said tonelessly. "You still have to talk with her, Derek, and Cora."

Stiles lead Peter through the halls, not looking back at him as he replied. "I do, yes. But that doesn't mean anything."

They reached the door to the den before Peter could say anything else.

"Stiles!" Scott exclaimed, jumping up from where he had been talking with Allison quietly. He stepped forward and brought his hands up, cradling Stiles's face as he tilted his brother's head from one side to the other. "What happened to your face?"

Smiling ruefully, Stiles waved his hands around and said, "I thought it would be a good idea to let Peter sharpen his claws with it. It's not a big deal."

"Stiles?" Allison questioned, looking up at him with curiosity burning bright in her eyes.

"It's fine," Stiles reassured his friends. He pulled Scott's hands away and pushed him back carefully. "It was an accident and it won't happen again. Now, who's next?"

Cora stood from her chair smoothly. "Me. Follow me to the basement."

"Sure, no problem," Stiles said sarcastically. "Exactly what I like to hear from a potential spouse. Not creepy at all."

-x-x-x-x-

"So how was yesterday?" Talia asked her daughter, hanging her coat on the hook behind her office door. She settled down in her chair and sent a text to Derek, Cora, and Peter. While her children were fond of shouting all through the house, Talia liked to keep things a little quieter. Besides, there was no reason to disturb her husband Nathan. The summit the day before had been even more exhausting for him than it was for her.

Laura fell back onto her mother's couch and growled quietly in annoyance. "Well, after Peter clawed Stiles's face off, Cora tried to beat the hell out of him and Derek decided to bury him in the garden."

Talia turned and looked at Laura, but was cut off by the office door opening.

"Laura's the one who almost puked on him," Cora complained, pushing her sister's legs off the couch so she could sit down. Derek perched on the arm, nodding in agreement.

"I was nervous!" Laura objected. "It made my stomach queasy!"

"Was it the nerves?" Peter asked, closing the door behind him before coming forward to sit in the chair in front of Talia. "Or was it Allison describing the time they had to pull an arrow out of Jackson's eye over lunch?"

"Allison?" Talia spoke up, ignoring the green hue creeping over her daughter's face. Laura had always been a little sensitive when it came to gruesome encounters.

Derek leaned forward and answered his mother. "Allison Argent. She's Scott's mate-to-be."

"An Argent?" Talia asked sharply, turning to look at Peter suspiciously.

He waved a hand through the air carelessly. "Relax, Talia. She's a perfectly nice young lady. Apparently, her mother chose to move their family away from Gerard Argent's influence when Allison was young. She never even met Kate."

"Well, if that's your opinion of her, I'll let it go." Talia rested her chin on her hands and gave her brother a bright smile. "So, tell me about the face-clawing."

Unbelievably, Peter's ears turned red and he looked away, picking at the desk's wood delicately. "That was a misunderstanding."

"Oh, yeah," Laura said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Tell me, Uncle Peter, what part was I misunderstanding? Was it your claws in Stiles's face or the blood?"

"There was blood?" Talia asked in alarm.

"Stiles agreed that it was an accident," Peter said, ignoring his sister. "There's no more to be said about it. Unlike Cora's misstep."

"I just asked if he wanted to spar a little!" Cora replied, hardly phased by her mother's glare. "It's not my fault he ran into my fist."

"How many times did he do that?" Derek asked, mocking his youngest sister. "Ten? Twenty?"

"One," Cora said angrily, glaring at Derek and baring her fangs. "How many times did you push him into the dirt?"

"He tripped," Derek corrected, flicking his claws in and out boredly. "He said himself that he was too clumsy to get along with nature."

"Well," Talia said, exhaling harshly. "I can see that yesterday went well. Should I even bother calling Alpha McCall? Or should I just assume that the alliance fell through?"

The children shifted guiltily, but it was Peter's satisfied smirk that caught Talia's eye. She turned to her brother and raised an eyebrow pointedly.

"On the contrary," Peter said, eyes laughing but voice steady. "When I escorted them to their car, Stiles told me that he'd had a fantastic time and was eager to, ah, 'ride this crazy train' for the rest of his life. Scott and Allison seemed happy with Stiles's reaction."

Laura stared at Peter, jaw dropped open unattractively, for several long seconds. "I thought you went back upstairs after Stiles left with Cora."

"I did," Peter admitted. "And then I came back down when I saw Derek bringing Stiles in from the gardens. That's the funny thing about stairs, you see. You can walk them both ways."

Talia sighed at her brother's antics and picked up the telephone. "I'll call Alpha McCall now and see what the verdict is then. Stay if you'd like."

Unsurprisingly, no one moved to leave. Laura brought her legs up, wrapping her arms around them anxiously, while Cora stretched her body out unconcernedly. Derek dropped his head to his hand, seemingly as calm as Cora but Talia knew better. Peter's reaction was the most interesting, however.

He had crossed his legs, keeping them loose and relaxed, and dropped his hands. While his left hand was smoothing over his pants calmly, his right hand- hidden away from the children- was digging claws into the leather of the chair.

Talia smirked as she dialed the McCall's number. Not only was this alliance good in terms of politics, it was also good in terms of entertainment. She had never seen her family so jumpy.

There was two short rings and then a click.

"Allison Argent speaking."

"Ms. Argent, it's Talia Hale," Talia said. "I was hoping to talk to Alpha McCall."

"Oh, of course!" Allison agreed. "He's outside with the boys right now, but Erica will go get him."

A loud girl's voice came from the background as Erica complained about having to move. Talia listened patiently, taking in the sounds of another female asking Allison about the phone call, until she heard Scott ask for the phone.

"Scott McCall."

"Scott, it's Talia."

"Talia, yes, hello," Scott said quickly, everything around him growing still and quiet. "Did you need something?"

"Oh, no," Talia answered truthfully. "I was just wondering how yesterday went. I'm sorry I couldn't be there, but the Greater Northwest Alpha Summit waits for no one."

"I understand," Scott replied, voice kind and bright. "Allison and I were just happy we managed to get Stiles back in one piece. He has a tendency to...exacerbate already dangerous situations."

There was a loud squawk in the background and several loud agreements.

"And Stiles? How did he like the others?"

"Talia, if you're calling to ask who Stiles has chosen, I'm afraid I'll have to tell you-"

Another voice came on the line, loud and full of laughter. "-that Cora is a big meanie, Derek is a bully, and Laura needs a stomach transplant. Honestly, how is a werewolf not able to talk about gross field surgeries over a nice lunch? Does she get sick when she remembers eating bunnies on the full moon?"

"Stiles, I told you that in confidence! Give me that phone!"

"Ew, Scott, you ate a bunny?! Was it raw?"

"No, Isaac, he stopped to bake it in a little werewolf oven. Of course it was raw!"

Talia held the phone away from her ear, partially so it wasn't so loud to her sensitive hearing and partially so everyone else could hear what she did.

Laura was staring at the phone in shock, like she had never been teased about her weak stomach. It was a common joke among their relatives, especially since they were, after all, werewolves. Derek and Cora were pushing at each other harshly, proving Stiles's point about their roughness. Peter was rolling his eyes in exasperation, but Talia could see the amusement in his laughing eyes. It was that amusement that made her say what she did next.

"I noticed Stiles didn't mention anything about Peter."

There was sudden silence from both ends.

Talia bit back a smile when Scott answered in Stiles's place.

"That's because Stiles can't even say Peter's name without it turning into a love poem," Scott said, his voice carefully straddling the line between teasing and serious.

"Is that so?" Talia asked, watching in amazement as Peter's ears flushed a deep red once more. "Well, Alpha McCall, it seems like there's only one way to settle this alliance then."

"You're right," Scott replied. "Stiles and Peter will tie our packs by marriage."

"Wonderful. Shall we set the wedding for this time next month?" Talia asked.

"Agreed. Stiles can stop by in a few days to work on the details with Peter," Scott offered, his voice pleasant yet commanding. "I'm afraid I have to go now, Talia. I think Stiles has gone into shock."

Laughing softly, Talia replied, "It was good talking with you, Alpha McCall. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

When she heard the click of Scott ending the call, Talia finally looked up at her brother. As she expected, his face was a mix of pleasure and nervousness. Her children were all sporting similar expressions of relief.

"Congratulations, Peter. You're getting married."

-x-x-x-x-

"No, no, no," Stiles muttered under his breath, flicking through the pages of the book in front of him.

"You know," Peter drawled from his spot on the couch across the room. "It's been two weeks and you still haven't found it. We can just have a common wedding."

"No!" Stiles snapped, looking up at his mate-to-be sharply, annoyance hardening his amber eyes. "I know for a fact that the ceremony I'm looking for is somewhere in this book."

Peter shook his head, amusement curling on his lips. "I'm fairly certain it's not."

"Oh, yeah?" Stiles asked. He waved a hand over the assortment of books spread out on the table in front of him. "I suppose it's not in any of these books either."

"It's not," Peter agreed. Lowering the book he had been looking through, he stared down at Stiles gleefully. "I can promise you that."

"How do you know that?" Stiles cried, frustration bubbling over. He had been looking for the exact ceremony he wanted for hours while his mate-to-be sat with him, peacefully reading his book. Peter hadn't even offered to help!

His jaw dropped when Peter turned his book, the pages facing Stiles. Vivid images spread over the thin paper, slanting script curling around various pictures of flowers and moons. It was Stiles's ceremony.

"You. Ass."

Peter smiled at him brightly as he passed down the book. "Your ass."

"Not yet," Stiles said, softly brushing his fingers over the book's words. It was exactly as he remembered it, which was surprising since he had only read over this specific marriage ritual once, nearly a year ago. He had known then that this was the wedding he wanted, no matter if he married a werewolf or not.

He'd also been pretty certain then that he wouldn't live long enough to even marry.

"It's a beautiful ritual," Peter offered, his voice quiet as he sensed his mate-to-be's sorrow. "What's wrong?"

Shrugging his shoulders listlessly, Stiles stared down at the book blindly. "I always thought that my parents would be at my wedding. Dad would be in uniform, gruff but happy, like always. I never knew what my mother would wear, but I pictured her with violets in her hair. She loved violets."

Leaning across the table, Peter brought his hand forward and caressed Stiles's cheek, lifting his face until they were looking into each other's eyes.

"Violets typically represent loyalty, faithfulness, and devotion," Peter told his mate-to-be, smiling softly. "Those are all very relevant traits for a marriage. I'm sure a few flowers won't ruin the ritual"

Stiles smiled up at Peter, excitement and joy glittering in his previously sightless eyes. He covered Peter's hand with his own. "You mean that?"

Peter curled their fingers together. The feeling of Stiles's skin against his own was addicting and it was an addiction he was looking forward to feeding. "Stiles, I know that this arrangement was a surprise to the both of us, neither of us quite expecting something like this to come up in our lives, but I hope it's been a pleasant one. At least, it has been for me."

"It has for me too," Stiles agreed, his voice soft and breathless. "You're right, I wasn't expecting you. I could never expect anyone like you, Peter. Especially not as my husband, my mate. But I want you to know that I like you very much and..."

"And?" Peter asked, staring into Stiles's eyes piercingly. His senses were flooding with Stiles. The scent of his anxiety and longing, the sound of his stuttering heartbeat, the blood-warm flesh sliding against his own- it was intoxicating.

"And I can easily see myself falling in love with you," Stiles confessed, dropping his gaze from Peter's bashfully.

"Is that all?"

Stiles jerked his head up, mouth open to spit out some hurtful remark that he hadn't even begun to form, but froze at the blissful grin Peter had. His heart thumped in his chest, the beat loud and pulsing in his ears as he watched the wolf in front of him.

"I can only pray that happens," Peter said honestly, leaning over the table even further to brush his lips against Stiles's in a careful first kiss. He pulled back before Stiles could reciprocate, breathing harshly. Gazing into the molten amber of Stiles's wide eyes, he smiled and continued. "Preferably some time around when I fall in love you."

Stiles lit up and Peter managed to catch a quick glimpse of the almost familiar smile before he was jerked forward, Stiles's lips connecting roughly with his own.

As he surrendered to the impulse to put his hands on the man kissing him, he had a single blurry thought before passion took over.

At this rate, that'll be today.

-x-x-x-x-

All things considered, it was a much better wedding than Stiles could have hoped for. His entire pack was with him to watch as he married into the Hale pack. That would have been enough but both packs had come together to make the entire ritual perfect.

Lydia, Allison, and Erica had surprised him with tiny violets woven into their hair, kicking his love and appreciation for them into overdrive. He swore that his already overemotional state was the only reason he had cried a little when he caught sight of the same flowers adorning Talia, Laura, and Cora. No one could prove otherwise.

They had chosen a small clearing deep in the preserve as their ritual venue. With the trees surrounding them and the luminescent Blood Moon shining down on them, it held the perfect blend of supernatural. Because his friends were used to his various outrageous requests in the name of magic, no one had objected to Stiles asking them to be barefoot. He wanted to feel the magic of the earth as much as he could during one of the most important nights of his life. He assumed Peter had spoken to his pack about the request as he had seen all of the Hales' clawed toes as everyone settled into place.

Talia stood behind Peter while Scott stood behind him, everyone else standing around them in a large circle. Deaton, the Hale pack emissary, was standing just to the side of them, ready to officiate.

"Are we ready?" Deaton asked, calm and tranquil like a placid lake. Stiles envied him.

He looked around at the trees, digging his toes into the soft earth beneath his feet, and met Peter's eyes questioningly as his mate-to-be dropped his own gaze down from the full moon. They nodded.

"If you could please grab each other's hands," Deaton requested.

Stiles raised his shaking hands and placed them over Peter's, his magic sparking at the scratch of Peter's claws.

"Stiles, do you swear under the light of the moon that you have come here willing and free from coercion?"

"I swear."

"Peter, do you swear under the light of the moon that you have come here willing and free from coercion?"

"I swear."

The following vows were made in a haze of magic and desire. Stiles could hear voices- his own, Peter's, Deaton's- and could feel the vines he had chosen for the hand-fasting being tied tightly around his and Peter's clasped hands. With every vow, there was another vine being added, leaving their hand-fasting as a strong and healthy living bond.

Stiles was just beginning to feel the mating bond tie him and Peter together when Deaton spoke his last words.

"Under the watchful eyes of Mother Moon and your respective packs, you may now exchange the mating bite."

Tensing in anticipation, Stiles watched as Peter leaned forward, extending his fangs while still in Stiles's sight. He had just felt the first scrape of teeth on his neck when his magic suddenly bubbled over, pushing him to sink his own teeth into the stretch of skin before him.

He was dimly aware of wolves howling as he bit, blood flowing into his mouth and tasting like magic. It crackled through his entire body, electric and satisfied, and he could feel Peter's own satisfaction echoing in the back of his mind.

We did it

A/N: this was for day two of steterweek on tumblr! my chosen theme was, obviously, arranged marriage. i was going to write the after-wedding sex scene, but i chickened out at the last second. sorry if that disappoints anybody :(

please review

~S.