Chapter 2: Letharia Vulpina

"Scott, it's time. You have to tell Stilinski. You have to tell him what's really wrong with Stiles."

"How can I tell him Derek? Stiles is all the Sheriff has left. This will destroy him." Scott rubs his face against his sleeve, pushing back tears.

"He needs to know," Derek says.

"I'll find him. Just let me find him," Scott pleads. "I'll find him before he does anything else. The Sheriff doesn't have to…"

Derek lays a hand on Scott's shoulder. "Scott, the Sheriff needs to know."

Scott drops his head in defeat. He nods.

The Sheriff can't believe what he is hearing. A demon has control of his son. An evil entity is living inside his boy.

Controlling him.

Using him.

The Sheriff fights back the urge to vomit. It's his responsibility to protect his son. Stiles is his only child, his baby. But there's no way that he can protect Stiles against this. The Sheriff is only human he can't fight things that he cannot even see. Things that made a home inside his son's body….

The Sheriff levels a dark look at Scott and Derek. "Get that thing out of my son," he orders. "I don't care how you do it. Just do it without hurting Stiles. And for God sake's make that damn abomination suffer."

"I promise," Scott says. "Stiles will be fine; he'll be back to his old self in no time."

Derek frowns at Scott, unwilling to make promises he may not be able to keep.

"Bring him back safe," the Sheriff pulls Scott into a hug. "Stiles loves you like a brother. I know you'll do whatever needs to be done to find him.

"I will," Scott vows.

"And take care of yourselves too," the Sheriff adds. "Stiles would never forgive me if I ordered you both to track him down only to be killed in the process," he looks pointedly at Derek.

Derek frowns. He highly doubts that Stiles would be too broken up over his passing. He would get over it quickly; maybe have a party in Derek's honor.

"We'll both be careful," Scott says.

"Good. Now go save my boy."

Chris Argent is pointing a gun right against Derek's head. If Derek wasn't curious as to why one of the hunter's emitter's were left at his loft he would just bash the guy's head in.

"I have no idea why that would be in your loft," Argent releases his defensive stance. "I spent the entirety of the last two days trying to find Stiles." Derek listens to the steady rhythm of his heart, Argent isn't lying.

"Any luck?" Derek already knows the answer, but he cannot stop himself from hoping.

"No," Argent confirms.

"Me either. Okay, we're both trying to find Stiles. Mind if I ask what you plan on doing if you find him?" Derek needs to make sure that Argent isn't planning to shoot first, ask questions second.

"Well, that depends on which Stiles I find," the hunter says, checking his gun.

Derek grabs the gun with supernatural reflexes and takes out the bullets. "See, that's not going to work for me.

Chris makes a move towards his desk, obviously searching for another weapon.

Derek pushes him roughly until the two are flush against one another.

"This is what's going to happen," Derek states. "If you find Stiles you call me or you call Scott. You do not attack Stiles under any circumstances. You do not shoot, hit, or threaten him in any way." Derek pushes his body harder against Argent's. "Do we understand each other?"

"He's killing people, Derek. It's only a matter of time until he kills again. How much longer are you going to protect him?"

"As long as it takes," Derek says. "Until he's safe."