Chapter Six

Stiles fully intended to show Derek the strange gift, except the former alpha still hadn't shown up. He'd already declined Scott's offer for a ride. What was taking the Sourwolf?

Finally he decided to just walk to the loft. It was only about a mile from the school, give or take.

The walk wasn't exactly happy thoughts. Stiles' feet carried him on their own while he went over being forced to kill by a force that had been beyond his control. He recalled driving the knife into his best friend while some part of him had derived some twisted pleasure from it.

'Everyone has it, but no one can lose it... '

The teen picked up the pace, almost stomping now. He wouldn't think about that. He wouldn't...

What had the Nogitsune said to him that day at the hospital when it first took control completely? It thrived on his shadow, the darkness within him. Stiles knew now that darkness was there. Everyone had it- a dark side.

He barely registered standing in front of the loft until he realized he was looking up at it. He quickly pushed aside his troubled thoughts, composing himself for Derek as the elevator ascended.

He pondered briefly what he and Derek were now. Their relationship seemed to have shifted again- this time from uneasy toleration to actual friends.

Derek confided things in him. Stiles thought maybe he understood. They were both touched by the same things- the pain of loss, the shadow of the supernatural...

Derek didn't confide in mere humans, but Stiles had been a Nogitsune, or at least hosted one. He'd been part fox in a way similar to the wolves the pack hosted in their bodies. Derek had explained the similarities and differences a little.

Now Stiles was what? Turning into a werewolf? His dark half- if that's what you wanted to call it- had been bitten by Scott, and now Derek claimed he was changing.

Why wasn't he a werewolf yet? Did the transformation usually take two weeks? Derek hadn't offered a further explanation, likely because he himself didn't have one.

"Stiles?"

The kid blinked suddenly. He'd been so absorbed in his thoughts he must have been staring at Ethan for a full minute, but it was the voice that quickened his awareness of his surroundings.

Surprise seized him for a moment when he fully realized it was Ethan he was looking at.

"Ethan? What are you doing here?"

"Nowhere to go," the former alpha explained with a grimace. "You? Derek mentioned you were here."

Stiles actually grinned, knowing Derek would possibly want to kill him for what he said next.

"He's grown mighty protective of me."

Ethan smirked a little in return.

"Only you Stiles," he mused.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" the kid retorted suddenly.

"It means Derek protects you because you're like the other half he'll never admit he has. In many ways you're cut out of the same mold. I do notice things around here."

Stiles blinked awkwardly. Could Ethan read his mind?

"Former alpha remember?" the twin pointed out, raising an amused eyebrow.

Was Ethan saying he actually could read minds then? Did that mean Derek also could?

"Relax Stiles," Ethan chuckled. "I'm picking up on your emotions. Don't be so nervous. Why don't we go inside?"

Stiles followed Ethan into the loft, glad for the company to distract his thoughts.

"So where did Derek go?"

"He and Scott went to do damage control," Ethan said with a confused frown. "Scott didn't tell you?"

"He never tells me pack stuff anymore," Stiles replied. "Doesn't want me involved."

"I'm sure he's just protecting you. I know you've probably heard it from Derek already, but the supernatural world is really no place for humans. Luckily for you the creatures of the supernatural tend to ignore humans for the most part, but I think you learned recently not all of them do."

Stiles couldn't conceal his nervousness at the sudden shift of topic.

"There are others Stiles," Ethan said quietly. "Other demons- many of them much more powerful than the Nogitsune."

"I think I understand something now," Stiles began curiously. "Aren't werewolves?"

"Technically yes," Ethan nodded, sensing his meaning immediately. "Werewolves are hosts to a spirit. Rather that spirit is demonic in nature is up to debate. The story goes that Lycaon was cursed by the gods, but the nature of that curse isn't clear. Possibly the wolf-spirit was able to possess him because of the curse, not because of the gods themselves. Whatever the case, Deucalion told me once that we're werewolves because the same spirit lives in all of us. It grows in power when more werewolves are made, so an alpha will always be inclined to make more."

Stiles thought about Scott immediately.

"What about the true alpha?" he asked curiously.

"Deucalion was rather cryptic on that count," Ethan said with a slight scowl. "I gather that the true alpha is one that can master the spirit better than others. They aren't as driven by it. What the Hales call one's inner-wolf is actually the same wolf expressing differently through each host. Deucalion has probably discovered more about our kind than any other. A Demon Wolf is a werewolf that can host the wolf-spirit more fully than others. It makes the host nearly invincible, but also nearly powerless to control themselves. The spirit takes over. A true alpha is the opposite and is truly master of themselves. They've tamed the beast within."

"So Scott became an alpha because he can access the power as he pleases?" Stiles guessed.

"So Deucalion guesses," Ethan agreed. "I'm a little hungry. Are you?"

Stiles blinked at the sudden change of topic, but he sensed the subject of 'alpha' was still a sore spot for Ethan. Maybe it had to do with Aiden too. Quite likely...

"I'll cook," Stiles told him with a grin.