It's a few weeks later that Derek and I are out scouting for traces of the Alpha. He hasn't shown any recent activity and it is setting us both on edge. Scott is still somewhat oblivious to everything, mostly because he is still so wrapped up in Allison when he isn't training, doing homework, or working. But now he is at home asleep. It's late, and if dad wasn't working I wouldn't be out here. But when Derek said he was going, I couldn't let him go by himself.
After about an hour of running around town he catches the scent. It leads through the industrial part of Beacon Hills, the mostly abandoned part. I don't really know why or how this town has so much abandoned property, but it works for us right now, so I won't complain. Then I hear some gunshots. Too far away for Derek to hear, but they are there none the less. "Derek, hold up!" I hiss out.
"What is it?" He stops and turns back to me. I'm not sure he trusts me one hundred percent yet, but he is getting there.
"I heard some gunshots. That means Hunters are out. We need to leave."
"You can go, but I'm not losing this trail." He turns to leave and I grab his arm attempting to stop him.
He stills under my touch and goes rigid. The fact that he let my hand stop him when he is much stronger than me goes to show that he is trusting me more and more every day. "Dude, if you continue, you might get shot. If it is Hunters out there, then you would probably die. Now, I'm not willing to take that risk. The Alpha isn't going anywhere, we can continue the hunt another night when not everything in town is out to get us." He glares at me for a few moments then sags in defeat. I let out a sigh of relief and we head back home keeping to the shadows and staying out of sight.
…
The next day while I am sitting at lunch with Erica and Isaac I hear Allison tell Scott about how her Aunt Kate is in town. All I can think is great, more Argents. In everything that I have heard from Allison, she seems like a nice person, but without knowing if she is a Hunter or not makes it impossible for me to trust her with anything.
I turn my focus back to my new friends and see that Erica is talking to us but not looking at us while she chatters on. She is staring off to the side. So I turn and see who or what she is looking at. Sitting at the end of a table with some others is Vernon Boyd. He's a loner, quiet, big, smart if I remember right. Spinning back to face Erica, who has a small blush on her face, I can't help but grin and sing-song. "Someone has a crush."
"Shut it Beast Boy." I kinda love the nickname thing we have going on.
"Why should I, Catwoman? You obviously like him, why don't you go invite him over to sit with us?"
"Who would want to sit with the social rejects?"
I fake being affronted by the remark then smile. "Maybe he feels like a social reject, maybe he is just waiting to be invited to hang out. Did you ever think of that?" The look on her face tells me that she has, but she is still unwilling to do anything. I look to Isaac for some support, but he just has a small smile on his face at our exchange. I roll my eyes, "Girls, this is why I don't get dates."
Not leaving too much room for her to say something, I get up and walk over to the table where the darker boy is sitting. I hear Erica half yell, half whisper my name trying to get me to stop, but I am a bit too fast for that.
Once I get to him, I place my hands on the table across from him and lean down so I am closer to eye level with him. "Hey, Vernon, can I call you Vernon, how's it going?"
He looks up at me with the same blank look that he gives everyone. My first thought is how good of friends he and Derek would be. Derek talks more now than he did when we first met, but he still likes to pull out his signature glare all the time. "That's good. Glad to hear it. I was just wondering if you might like to come and join me with the other misfit toys. You don't have to, but over on that island, it's always Christmas and we don't have to worry about Santa coming around to deliver us to all the good boys and girls who will hate us anyway."
That got two raised eyebrows, and a look over to Erica and Isaac. I turn just in time to see Isaac give a small wave and Erica thump her head on the table into her folded arms, but then looks up hopefully. "Okay." At first I thought I was hearing things, but then he is gathering his stuff to follow me back. "But call me Boyd."
"Sounds good." We walk back across the lunch room and sit down, me next to Isaac and Boyd next to Erica. "Well, I'm Stiles, this is Isaac, and that lovely blonde bombshell is Erica." She glares at me for a minute, but then turns to Boyd and says hi. Isaac nudges me under the table, and I can't help but to laugh a little. Seems like our group is expanding and doing just fine. Our conversation returns to normal afterwards with Boyd only giving his input when directly asked, but that's okay. He will open up in time, the others did.
…
When I get home Derek is sitting in the living room reading a book from my bookshelf. One of the older tomes Mom left me. I hate to break the calm quiet but he can tell that I am somewhat agitated when I walk in the door.
"What's wrong?" He places a finger in the book and closes it giving me his full attention.
I sigh, "Nothing too major, just another Argent came to town. Allison was talking about her aunt that just got in last night. I wouldn't be surprised if that is the one I heard firing off their gun in the middle of nowhere."
Derek stiffens as if he is anticipating the worst. "What's her name?"
"Uh, I think she said it was Kate?" He lets out a growl lower than all the others I have heard from him. That instantly lets me connect the dots. I continue in a much lower voice. "She's the one who did it, isn't she?"
His continuing growl is all the answer I need. Great. The pyromaniac murderer is back in town. Probably to help with the Alpha situation. I am about to tell him to cool it when an engine turning off in front of the house has me stopping and turning away from him. It isn't a vehicle I recognize. Someone gets out; their heart beat is ticked up a bit higher than normal, more in excitement rather than nervousness. Then there is a knock on the door and Derek's growl that had cut out, is now back full force. He tries to stop me from answering but I am a bit too fast for him and I am able to open the door before he can reach me. Only I wish he had been able to stop me, because standing on the other side is a blonde that smells like gun oil and wolfsbane, this must be Kate.
"Well, you must be Stiles. Wonderful to meet you." She looks over my shoulder, "And Derek, my, my. You have grown up in all the right places." There is a lilt to her voice that tells me something happened between the two of them and it was more than words exchanged. "I don't know whether I want to kill it or lick it." That has my eyes burning and a jolt of electricity running through my fingertips. So not only is she a bitch Hunter who burned down Derek's house with his family inside, but probably had a thing with him while he was underage. Considering that she looks to be in her mid-thirties, that means it was statutory rape. I don't turn back to Derek, but I do move to block him from her view closing the door slightly with me.
"What can I help you with?"
"Oh, I just thought that I should come by and see how poor Derek is doing. I heard about what happened to his sister, and thought I should pay my respects."
"There's no need to lie. I can hear your heartbeat so you may want to change your story, or you can just get the hell off my dad's property. I'm sure he wouldn't take kindly to having his son, or his guest harassed and threatened. He is the Sheriff after all in case you forgot."
She laughs, "Oh, no, I haven't forgotten. It's actually why I'm here." She moves almost too quickly for me to catch the baton she was holding behind her. The electricity sparks and crackles as it races up my arm. Derek is behind me retching open the door, but the look of shock on her face is priceless. The thing about electricity is that I am able to absorb it thanks to my fox fire.
"Derek, back up." He does reluctantly and I rip the baton out of her hand, and then look back at her with my eyes glowing green. "See, while that little trick might work with a werewolf, I'm not one. I'm something far more dangerous. Now, why don't you go on back to the rest of you little Hunter family and tell them to back, the fuck, off. I am not messing around anymore. The next time any of you approach me I will take it as a declaration of war. If you think that I'm trouble, you have yet to encounter my father. While he may be human, he is in charge of the local law enforcement and he can have you strung up on charges for assault and a thousand other things so that you won't be seeing the light of day for a very long time. Are we clear?"
She does back up as I am speaking, but it's with a smile. "This game just a whole lot more interesting."
"See, that's where we have a slight difference of opinion. My life and the life of my friend here, not a game."
"Maybe not to you sweetie, but it is one hell of a pass time for me." She turns and walks away from the house back to the car. Once she is down the street I close the door and sag against it.
"One more time, I swear, one more time they try to harass either of us, and I am telling my dad what's going on."
"Stiles, you keep provoking them and they will come after you!" Derek yells in my face. "How stupid can you get!"
"I'm sorry, I was only just stopping her from killing the both of us. And maybe I'm sick of hiding. I did it for so long, I've missed out on things and friendships that I should have had all along. These Hunters need to learn that they aren't the only ones willing to fight around here."
"That line of thinking is going to get you killed."
"Yeah, well at least I went down swinging then. Tell me, what you would have done differently." He stays silent, glaring at me. "Exactly. Now, maybe we should move onto more important matters. Like telling my dad the arsonist/murderer that killed your family is back in town."
He stops glaring at me after that and pulls back into himself. "No."
"No? What do you mean no?"
"I said no."
"Derek-"
"No, Stiles."
"You know what, I think I've about had it with this whole martyr complex you have going on. You are not the one to blame. I don't care what she said or did to you, but the only person to blame for anything is her. You were only sixteen when all that shit went down, she used you. It's not your fault. So you better get over this whole thing fast, because I am having none of it."
He gets up in my personal space and is inches away from me now. "You. Don't. Know. Anything."
"No, I don't know for sure, but from the way she acted, I can guess. I'm betting she was in her twenties and showed you some special treatment, seduced you, and then used what she knew about your family against you. She is the one that killed them, not you. Am I wrong?" He doesn't say anything and backs off again. "Thought so. Now, I won't say anything, as long as my Dad doesn't ask. But you should tell him. He is working to reopen the case and is re-examining the evidence. Anything you know could help him." Almost immediately I am sorry for talking the way I did. It was brash if not honest to the way I felt, but there were probably a thousand other ways I could have handled the situation better.
"Look, I'm sorry, I'm just getting sick of trying to balance everything the way I am. I hate lying to my dad, by omission or otherwise. This is something that could get settled by the law. She would go to jail and there is nothing that her, or her crazy family could do to stop it. If they came after you, then the law would protect you. Sometimes you have to let others handle the bullshit. That might be a hard concept for you, but you have to learn to do it. You aren't alone anymore. I know Scott, Dad, and I aren't the most convenient or practical pack, but we could be yours, if you let us." There is a pained yet hopeful look in his eyes so I drop the conversation to let all of it sink in for him. I don't know what he is going to do, but I hope that he will at least consider it.
…
There are three more deaths that happen before the next full moon. One is to a video store clerk and a previously convicted for arson. Derek took Scott to scope that one out while I was with my father on the ground. Jackson and Lydia both are a bit rattled by the whole thing seeing as they were at the store when it all happened. Lydia seems to be in a state of shock, probably unable to process what she saw, while Jackson reverts to his douchey self. I don't think he saw anything, and Scott confirms it later when he overhears Danny talking to him on the field during practice one day. I've taught Scott about how to listen for the tick or upbeat that the heart gives off while lying. Something that will probably come back to bite me in the ass later on.
The other two deaths are of known arsonists and have a list of priors on their records, basically skum. Coincidently they were burnt husks when their bodies are found. At first, the string of somewhat random deaths seems to be just that, random. But now, with the death of the arsonists, it is raising some questions and not only with myself. Dad kept looking into the others who were killed. The bus driver was apparently a former insurance investigator for the Hale fire. The two that were burned and the video store clerk all had misdemeanors and other problems with the law, so it wouldn't be a far reach to say that whoever is killing these people is really trying to extract some sort of revenge. But that doesn't make sense either.
"I mean, you aren't the one killing people. We know that. So who the hell could be doing it?"
"I don't know." Derek's eyebrows are drawn in together in frustration. We have been going over possible suspects for the last few days and have so far come up with nothing. Well, I have had one idea, but it would be a far stretch, and I don't really want to tell Derek what it is. He only has the one remaining family member as it is. "Laura had a list of names before she left. She didn't tell me what it was for, but I found it yesterday after I was going through some of the things she left here. On it were the names of the people that have been killed. The only one that hasn't been yet is Adrian Harris."
"Harris! As in my Chemistry teacher?"
"What?"
"He teaches Chemistry at the high school. Do you think he will have any answers?"
"Maybe, but how do we ask him?"
"We have to give that list to my dad. He will know how to follow the proper channels, and will be able to question him legally. I know you want to get the answers yourself but this is probably our best bet right now."
He ushers out a low growl for a moment before jerking his head in a nod.
We wait until dad gets home and then present him with said list. He takes it and says that he will look into it tomorrow. Then after dinner, Derek decides that he is going to go and see if he can pick up any new traces of the Alpha. Dad is already in bed, so I sneak out my window and meet him at his car. "Stiles, go back in the house."
"I think we already had this conversation. If you are going out, I am going out. You know you aren't strong enough to take on the Alpha by yourself, so I am going as your back up."
"Your father-"
"-won't know that I left unless you tell him. But then you would have to explain what you are doing, and while he may be able to ground me, he will give you the disappointed father stare. And trust me, that is not something you really want to be on the receiving end of. So, I'm going." I don't give him any more room to argue as I slip into the passenger seat. He grumbles as he gets in, but doesn't say anything more on the matter.
We drive around for a few hours before we get a text from Scott. The Alpha made contact with him. What! We drive over to his house and he is waiting on the front steps looking kind of freaked. "Dude, what happened?"
"I was getting in the car and I thought I heard something, I thought it was you, Derek." Derek has been springing surprise training sessions on Scott to see how he would react. It's kind of mean, but also kind of helpful. "But then I got his scent, and I booked it for the car. I only just managed to get in, but he knew I was there. He drew a spiral in the condensation on the window and then left."
"Did you get anything off of him? An Impression?"
"What do you mean?" Scott doesn't get what Derek is trying to ask, and I guess that's fair. He hasn't had to use his senses like this before. I want to step in, but at the same time, they need to be able to bond and get closer with each other. They are kind of a pack now. So I don't say anything, and let Derek continue.
He gets a bit frustrated, but he doesn't let it show as much as he might have a month ago. "Remember you other senses are heightened. Communication doesn't have to be spoken. What kind of feeling did you get off of him?"
Scot thinks a moment before responding. "Anger."
"Focused on you?"
He thinks on it some more, "No, not… Not me. But it was definitely anger. I could feel it. Especially when he drew the spiral. What does it mean?"
Derek looks like he is about to give a false answer or just brush it off, but he has to learn that he can't do that anymore. "Derek, what does it mean?" Maybe if I am the one to push him he will tell a bit more. Not that he trusts me any more than he does Scott.
He hesitates a few more minutes but finally gives in. "It's our sign for vendetta, for revenge. If he's leaving this symbol around, then that means he won't stop killing until he's satisfied that the debt has been settled."
"Well, that's not completely new news, is it? I mean we thought that that this is what it might mean, right?" We had only been talking about this earlier. "But the big question here is, who is doing this? Who wants revenge and what for? I mean all signs point to the fire, but who would want to get revenge for that?" Derek looks dumbfounded, which on him looks kinda, cute? That's an odd thought. His eyebrows are scrunched together and his eyes are slits with this little frown on his face.
"I don't know." It's all Derek can say, and after he falls into a silence unlike any of the others I have seen from him. I tell Scott to try and get some sleep and that I will see him in School tomorrow. He then reminds me that we have a lacrosse practice after school for the semifinals game the day after. That is like the last thing I can think of, but Dad said he would be there. A bunch of us got put on first line because of a bought of pink eye that ran through the team. Scott is back on first line too, so I know this will be a major game for him and his mom. Derek game him the okay, but told him to cut back on some of the wolfiness. He didn't state it like that, but it's pretty much the same.
…
After practice dad sends me a text saying he has some new information. So I grab Scott and bring him with me. This is pack business, so he needs to be informed too. When we get there Dad and Derek are sitting at the kitchen table with coffee and a few files. It looks like Derek has given an official statement, and I have a silent moment of awe. He was finally brave enough to tell the officials what happened. That is a big step. I wonder what made him do it.
"So what is it you found?" Dad moves some papers around to try and hide a few things from view, but it's too late. I already saw some of it.
"I talked to Harris while you were at practice. It seems that Laura was talking to him about the fire. That he would have a lead."
"Did he?"
"Kind of, that's how this gets tricky. I know that we have you're statement, Derek, but the prosecution is going to want some hard evidence. The only thing Harris could tell me is that the woman who he talked to was blonde and that she had this pendant." He shows us a small scrap of paper that has a crudely drawn emblem of a wolf with a few other things, it looks like a family shield, like from back in the old days when family names actually held weight and substance because of property and wealth, not fame and fortune.
Scott sucks in a breath and shuts his eyes as if he is in pain. "Scotty? What is it? Do you recognize it?"
He nods his head. "On a necklace." He opens his eyes and looks at my dad. "Allison Argent's necklace. She said she got it for her birthday from her aunt, it's a family heirloom." We all tense at that. She got it from Kate.
Derek tenses and I stop listening dad and Scott talk as I hone in on Derek's heartbeat which has skyrocketed. I look at dad and then he nods and I make my way over to Derek to grab his arm. At first he flinches out of my hold, but the second time he is looking me in the eyes and I jerk my head to the back door. He seems to get what I'm trying to get him to do, and comes with me. I know that Scott and my dad keep talking, but all I can think about is getting Derek to a better place mentally.
As soon as we hit the tree line I poke his shoulder. "You're it." And I take off into the woods full tilt. It only takes him a few seconds to realize what he is meant to do, but with a light scoff he takes off after me.
I'm not sure how long we run, but the game of tag turns into just running in comfortable silence. Lacrosse practice allows me to stretch certain muscles, but running like this stretches whole different ones. By the time we decide to slow down it is almost dark outside and we are near the school. The silence continues, save for the slight panting of breath coming from both of us, but I feel that I have to say something. "I know you don't want to, and least of all to some spazzy kid like me, but if you ever need to talk, you know I would be more than willing to listen, right?"
"Are you sure you could even shut up long enough to let someone else speak?" With that I know he is better. But I need him to know I'm being serious here. I give him a smile, but don't mince any words.
"I mean it Derek. I know it's not easy, but you can trust me. Loyalty is something I learned from my father, and it's not something I take lightly. If you ever need to talk, or not talk, or run through the woods, I'm here."
He nods and then looks me over again with a gaze I can't quite make out what it means. "I didn't realize that you would be that fast."
"Well, I did have a few things working in my favor."
He raises and eyebrow in mock questioning. "Like?"
"Well, first off, Kitsune are faster than werewolves, mostly because our muscle structure is slimmer than yours. We tend to be wiry and slight. I'm actually a bit tall, but that is the human side kicking in I guess. Then there is my clan."
"You're a Forest Kitsune, aren't you?"
I am a bit taken aback by that. "Yeah, how did you know?"
"Well, the fact that you didn't leave a trail for me to follow was the first tell the second was that you weren't making any noise as you ran through the underbrush. There were too many dead twigs and leaves for that to be a coincidence."
"Yeah, but how did you know about the different clans? Most people don't even know there are different types, let alone what a Kitsune is to begin with."
"I was raised to be Laura's second. The second is the one that is supposed to deal with pack relations and have a basic knowledge of most creatures." A faint blush appears on his cheeks, "Kitsune intrigued me because of what you can do. You are similar to a wolf, but different in other aspects."
"Dude, that's impressive!" I am also proud of the fact that he was able to mention Laura without getting down on himself. I don't know why I feel proud though, I really have no right to, but the feeling is there all the same.
He shrugs his shoulders but I can tell the small praise was accepted by him. Just as I think we are about to have a bro moment, his head turns and scents the wind. That action is enough for me to open up all of my senses and hear what he must smell. The Alpha. There is a stench of fear with it that is only getting stronger and we rush toward the school in hopes to help whoever is in trouble.
It's coming from Harris's room and Derek gets in there in just enough time to duck Harris down as a wooden shelving unit comes hurtling at them. I let loose a ball of electric fox fire and catch the Alpha in the chest. It isn't enough to make him stop, but is enough to send him running. Before Harris can look back up, I slip out of the room and quietly tell Derek that I am going to see if the Alpha really left and also get away so Harris doesn't recognize me.
I am only a few feet down the hallway before Derek is by my side. "If you're going, I'm going." Of course he would throw those words back in my face. I can't help the sigh and small laugh that comes out and Derek responds with a smirk of his own. He has humor, when he chooses to employ it. It doesn't happen often, but when he does, it is dry and snarky.
The trail leads to the woods his scent tapers off and another scent starts up. It's a perfume that I recognize and a stench of sanitizer that can only come from one place. "Derek, he's at the Hospital." He stops and gives me a questioning look. "Can you smell that perfume and the other scents with it?" He nods. "That's from the hospital. Ms. McCall smells like that sometimes when she takes a shift in the long term care ward. Derek, I think the Alpha might be your uncle."
…
Derek was quiet the entire way home. He didn't say anything or even look at me. It's like he had this thought too but was afraid to voice it out loud. Now that it has been, there's no taking it back. It is a very real possibility that it could he his Uncle, and if it is, that means he killed Laura. His own niece.
Knowing that this is going to be hard for Derek to wrap his head around I leave him alone as I get ready for school. Dad has the day off so I tell him to look out for Derek and to not let him leave alone. Knowing him, he would try to confront his uncle alone and that can only end badly.
School takes forever to move through. Once at lunch, my new friends pick up on my distracted mood. "Okay, what's going on that has you all funky?"
"Nothing. Just, not a great day."
"Beast Boy, you know that you can't really lie to me right? I mean, we can all tell that something serious is going on with you lately." She wavers for a moment and then adds quietly. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"No. I mean, thanks and all, but there really isn't." Then I start to think about the curfew that my dad was going to have implemented today. "Actually, there is something. The Sherriff's department is going to issue a curfew of nine thirty for anyone under eighteen, and I would really appreciate it if you guys would actually follow it." I look each one of them in the face to let them know how serious I am about this. They all look at me with wary eyes, but it fades to one of acceptance.
"Sure thing." Isaac's voice comes out a bit weak, but I know that he will do as I just asked.
"I don't know why, but if you insist. It's not like I have anything else to do anyway." That makes me feel a bit guilty too. In the month that we have been sitting with each other for lunch and some shared classes, we have never hung out together outside of school. Usually because I am too busy dealing with werewolfy business, but I really need to fix that.
"Sorry about that. Maybe after all the crazy is over I can have you guys over for a pizza and movie night. We can each choose our favorite and the others have to watch it no matter what. Deal?" Boyd nods and Erica brightens up a bit.
"I would have to ask my dad first, but it sounds like fun." He shrinks into himself a little and I slowly put my arm around his shoulder bringing him into a side hug.
"Well, seeing as you would be going to the Sherriff's house, I don't see how he could possibly say no. It's not like we will be up to anything illegal." We both laugh at that. Hopefully Isaac will be comfortable to get the help he needs soon. I really want him to get the support and caring family he needs.
It's not long after that, that the bell rings for next period and we all start making our way to our next class. Before I can get much further than the door an hand wraps around my upper arm and starts pulling me in the direction of the girls bathroom. "Erica, what are you doing?"
She doesn't say anything until we are in the bathroom with the door locked from the inside. "What is really going on Stiles? You seem majorly spooked." The fact that she has used my name rather than the nick names we usually refer to each other as says how much she is really worried. "Does this have to do with that weird glowing aura you sometimes have around you?"
And, wait, what! "Glow- what are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Sometimes I can see this faint dark green aura around you. It kinda looks lupine but the edges are too sharp."
And that is the Kitsune Aura, my Aura. "Erica, when do you see it?" I am always really careful to keep it hidden. I am sure that I have never once let it slip out at school.
"I don't know. I guess it's when I start to get the feeling of a seizure coming on. I get that nasty metallic taste in my mouth and my eyes can't help but to focus on you. Before we started hanging out they always just drifted to the left, but now even when you are on the right, they move towards you."
"You've been having seizures and not telling anyone?" The incredulous tone is not to deter from the subject, but out of worry for my friend.
"No, those are just usually the signs that one is coming, but I've been on this new medication that is helping to stop it. Now stop evading the question and tell me what is going on." Her gaze keeps mine and I am unable to look away.
"Erica, there are things that I really want to tell you about myself, but right now isn't a good time. I don't want you to get dragged into this shitstorm that I am currently wading through. But after things are taken care of, I promise I will tell you anything you want to know. Well anything that I am able to anyway. Which about me, means just about everything. I promise." I am not above groveling and pleading with her to agree with me. I can't let her get put in danger. Not while she is still oblivious to the supernatural, although, not quite as oblivious and I previously thought.
"You better. At first I thought I was going mad. But then it kept happening." Her tone lightens and she takes a step towards me. "I just want you to be safe, Stiles. You're my friend, and I don't want you to get hurt."
"Ditto. That's why I can't tell you anything yet. But soon, I promise. I hope." She nods at me and then surprises me with a hug that crushes me a bit more than I was expecting.
"You better stay alive, Beast Boy. If you die, I will bring you back to life and kill you myself."
I hug her back tightly as well and rub my cheek against her temple. She won't know that I'm scenting her, but it is comforting non the less. "I will do my damn best, promise."
…
The rest of school goes about the same as the first half. Me tense and Scott not really reacting at all. He is like laser focused on Allison these days, and only training can pull him away from that. But today that is a good thing. I know Derek will want to go and see Peter just to make sure that he isn't the Alpha, and I won't let him go alone. I really hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.
The whole drive home I am trying to figure out how I am going to convince Derek of what is possible. When I finally get there dad is gone but Derek is pacing back and forth in the living room. He is usually so still that it is starting to freak me out a little bit. Especially because he has been pacing for the last fifteen minutes. "Dude! What is going on?" He glares at me but doesn't stop pacing. "Sometimes, if you talk out what is bugging you with someone else, it can help you process and gain insight. So, tell me what is rattling around in that head of yours."
He makes two more laps of the room and then stops in the middle to face me in the doorway to the kitchen. "If my Uncle is the Alpha, that means that he Killed Laura for the power. He killed his own niece. Why would he do that? Why would he kill one of is only remaining family members? When I visited him in the Hospital a few weeks ago, he couldn't even move, how could he be the Alpha that has been on a rampage for the last two months? It doesn't make sense, Stiles. He wouldn't do that."
His voice is shredded like he has been screaming for days. "I'm sorry Derek. I don't know what to tell you. I really hope that it isn't him. Like, I am massively wishing on everything that he isn't. But what if he is? How are we going to deal with it?"
His gaze drops from me and turns to face the wall. When he speaks again he is calm and collected and his voice no longer carries the harsh quality it had before. "I don't know. First we have to figure out if it's him or not."
"Okay, we should-"
"Tonight. I am going tonight. With or without you."
"Okay. How about we go for a run first. Burn off some of that excess energy you have."
"Stiles, I don't-"
"Nope, you need this, and we are going, so put on some tennis shoes and some workout clothes. You thought that chase the other night was intense, well, you haven't felt the burn yet." I go up to my own room to change into a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top. I fill up two water bottles and toss one at Derek when he enters the kitchen in a pair of his own shorts and a tight fitting t-shirt. "Okay, I know a few trails that we can follow, if you need to stop, let me know cause I can keep running for a while." He nods and we head outside to hit the forest behind the house.
We run for a few hours only stopping a few times to catch our breath. By the time we make it back to the house and shower it is almost eight. We hop in my jeep and go to the hospital. Scott calls me just as we park. "Dude, where are you? You know if you're not here you're not going to play right?"
"If I'm not where?"
"The semifinal! Dude, you're first line. Your dad is coming remember?"
Shit! I totally forgot about the game. "Okay, look, if you see my dad just, just tell him I'll be a little late. I'll be there."
"Okay dude, better hurry!"
"Okay thanks, bye."
"You're not going to make it."
"I know, but this is more important and he doesn't need to worry about it right now."
"Okay then, let's go." He starts to get out of the car and I put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "What?!"
"You're not going in there. Not yet." He gives me a look that says 'Really?' "Look, if he is the Alpha and we go in there guns' blazing, then he is going to be on the attack. At this point we don't know what is going on, so I suggest that I go in and scope things out. Then if it's clear we can go, if not then by all means charge in and save the day." He looks like he is about to argue with me but then backs off.
"Fine. But we are going to be on the phone so I can hear what is going on."
I roll my eyes. "Whatever you say sourwolf." He bristles at the nick name but slumps back into the seat. There is a tense line along his body but I can't really blame him for that.
So I get out of the car and quickly make my way to the long term care wing after calling Derek's phone. The place seems kind of empty, which is strange and should be a tip off of some sort, but I brush it off and continue to the room that is supposed to hold Peter.
Once I get to the door the bed is made and a wheelchair is sitting in the room unused. "Derek." I don't have to say anything else, I can't, because he hung up on me. I back up and as I turn to look down the hallway, there he is. Peter Hale. Burn wounds still on his face and wearing a black leather trench coat.
"You must be Stiles."
I turn to leave and almost run into a red head in a nurse's uniform. "What are you doing here? Visiting hours are over." There is a vague smell of wolf about her, but that must be from hanging out with Peter, not because she is one herself.
"Well this makes some kind of sick amount of sense." My heart is beating really fast and I know that Peter can hear it. I can't really say much more without giving myself away, but then I hear Derek coming and I turn mostly towards Peter not knowing where Derek is going to come in at. But then I hear the sound of bone breaking and a thump on the floor. Okay, so he took out the nurse.
"Well that's not very nice. She's my nurse." The way he says it is pretty much, 'I don't care, but I'm going to be snarky anyway'.
"She's a psychotic bitch helping you kill people." He looks at me for a millisecond, "Get out of the way." It is almost gentle the way he says it, unlike the reprimanding tone he is using with his uncle. I can't believe he is keeping his shit together right now. Like seriously, how is he handling this?
I step just out the way, but keep my body poised to strike should I need to. "You think I killed Laura on purpose? One of my own family?" They walk toward each other and finally Derek has had enough and partially shifts then launches himself at Peter. But Peter is too fast and catches him mid-air and slams him into the wall, that dents upon impact. Yeah, this isn't going to go unnoticed. I will have to get dad or Ms. M. to delete or get rid of any video footage. I scramble out of the way, but the bodies moving about don't give me a clear line of sight to fire anything off, so I have to make do with biding my time. "My mind, my personality, were literally burned out of me. I was being driven by pure instinct." He drops Derek on the ground next to the nurse and leans over to grab a set of keys out of her pocket.
Just as Derek starts to get up, I launch a few balls of electric fox fire at Peter all hitting him in the chest. But it only causes him to stagger a bit. I go over to Derek and pull him away. "Derek, we need to get out of here. Now!"
"You want forgiveness?" He continues to talk to his uncle as if I'm not there, but he does let my hands hold him back from pursuing any further. I stand in front of him with a few balls of light dancing in front of me as a clear warning.
"I want understanding. Do you know what it was like, all those years, slowly healing, cell by cell? Even more slowly coming back to consciousness." His words are slow and spaced, like he is still getting used to talking again. Which he probably is. "Yes, becoming an Alpha, taking that from Laura pushed me over a plateau in the healing process. I can't help that."
He truly is crazy. I mean yeah, being stuck in a body that won't do what you want would do that to a person. Put the wolf side of you on top of that? Yeah, you would be one messed up person.
"I can't forgive you for what you've done. You killed Laura. She's dead and she's never coming back. You are the one who did that."
"No she isn't Derek, but you went and got yourself a pet. A Kitsune, really?" He stops looking over my shoulder at Derek and starts looking at me. "And here I thought wolves and foxes didn't get along."
"Yeah, well, I tend not to follow the rules." He laughs and at this point I have had enough of this bull. We need to get out of here. So I hurl all the balls of light at him and then just as he is dealing with the blinding light and voltage running through him, I grab Derek and bolt it out of there. I know he won't be happy, but there is no way we can take him down in the middle of the hospital hallway. We need to regroup and we need a plan.
So again we have Stiles being somewhat of an asshole in the way he speaks. A lack of filter, one might say. Also, having to change the way like, everything, is handled because Stiles is an unpredictable force and changes the rules of the game. I love writing him snarky and defiant to the Argent's faces, and then immediately after, it's like all the energy washes out of him. I guess you could call him stupidly brave. Doesn't think about how bad it could go until it is already done.
Let me know what you guys think! Love to hear your thoughts!
Also, can't wait for you guys to read the next chapter. I am so messing with the way things ran...
