Chapter Four

The mask was back.

A low whine left Scott's throat as his best friend, his brother, Walked past him without so much as glancing in his direction, the older teen's amber eyes hard and aloof. It had been so long since he'd this particular expression on his brother's face, so long that he'd almost forgotten it.

He'd asked about it once, back when they'd first met and the answer had broken his heart.

"Stiles, how come you don't smile?"

Empty amber eyes met his and warmed slightly before their owner looked away.

"You shouldn't wear your emotions on your sleeve, it makes you weak. If people know how you feel they can use it against you but if they don't then you're untouchable. I need to be untouchable."

"No you don't!" His new friend turned to him startled and he smiled warmly. "I'll be there to protect you."

A small smile crossed the other boy's lips, the first he ever seen and his heart swelled.

He wanted to protect that smile.

He'd broken his promise.

Since becoming a werewolf, he'd been getting sucked deeper into the supernatural life, into Allison and the pack, and in doing so he'd left his little brother to flounder in a way he knew Stiles would never do him.

Another whine left his lips, louder than the first and he saw Stiles stiffen, not far away.

Erica's hand landed on his shoulder.

"C'mon Scott. We need to get to class." She said sadly shooting a longing look in Stiles' direction. All the same she followed him, and both pretended that they couldn't feel their bond with their wayward human straining just a little too much.

It was harder than he thought it would be to maintain his childhood mask around the pack. For so long they'd been his family, and even with the neglect he'd suffered at their hands following the nogitsune, and he'd never picture that it would be him to leave. A low, sub-vocal whine reached his ears and he strained not to turn, to assure Scott that everything would be alright.

Scott didn't need him anymore.

The corner of his lips twitched, wanting to snarl at the thought and he slammed his locker shut harder than he probably should have.

What was he gonna do?

Logically, he knew that his grandfather thought him weak, and for most it seemed to be true, but he found himself entirely unwilling to fight a fight he was sure to lose. Why should he?

His father thought the worst of him. His pack thought the worst of him, hell even the teachers and other students at the school thought the worst of him. To them he was a hyperactive weakling, who talked too much.

It was like the western palace all over again and he couldn't decide which fate he'd rather suffer.

He faithfully ignored the little thought in his mind that told him that maybe the nogitsune had been right to turn that sword on him. He wasn't that desperate…yet.

Run!

Her lungs burned as she fought to get away from the beast chasing her, eyes burning gold in her terror.

She had to get to her Alpha.

She had to warn him.

A quiet hiss sounded behind her followed by an angry snarl and she whimpered, blond curls flying around her as she ran.

Unable to think of another solution, mind scrambled with fear she gave in to her instincts and howled.

Just as long claws tore into her back she heard her pack mates howl back and she smiled.

They would come for her, she had to believe that.

No needed to know that she secretly hoped a certain amber-eyed human was amongst them.

Stiles' head shot up as a familiar howl echoed through the air his heart racing in his chest.

Erica.

He should ignore it.

He stood and grabbed his bat, slipping on his favorite red hoodie as he went.

He should really ignore it. He wasn't supposed to feel anything for them anymore.

Still, he couldn't help but slip out the window and into the night, running full speed in the direction the sound had come from.

His heart ached when he found her unconscious in the preserve over thirty miles from the newly refurbished Hale house. Her back was torn to shreds, blood clistening on what little of her pale skin was still visible and he realized with a sinking heart that he would never be able to truly ignore them.

No matter what they did, no matter what Sesshomaru-sama said…they were his.

The creature atop her snarled at having its hunt interrupted and he growled, youkai pulsing as it tried to overwhelm his human mind.

No one touched what was his.

No one.

Derek was prepared for anything when he came to find Erica…anything but what he'd found anyways.

The girl had stormed off after an argument had erupted amongst the pack about how to get Stiles back and when she'd howled for them only thirty minutes later he'd been prepared for the worst.

He'd prepared to bury another packmate, his heart already sinking in the guilt that he'd led another person to their death but instead him and the pack had arrived to find Stiles standing over the girl's unconscious form protectively, swinging his back viciously as he bashed in the head of a scaly lizard like creature not unlike a kanima. Blood splattered across his face, adding color to his pale skin and his eyes blazed with rage, amber hues mixing with an intoxicating red to form a swirling red-gold.

His mate had never been more beautiful.

He longed to reach out and pull the human into his arms but something warned him that that would be a bad idea. The bat come down again with a sickening squelch and he winced.

A very bad idea.

A white blur shot out of the darkness and grabbed Stiles forcing him to stop. An animalistic sound left the human, tugging at Derek's heart strings.

"Enough, gaki. I think that's enough."

TBC