Chapter seven

Stiles whistled as he made his way through the station swinging the lunch bag he had brought for his dad and nodding to the deputies as he passed them, each of them grinning fondly at him. He waved to a couple of them and when he was sure none of them was paying attention casually meandered into the cell area.

He made his way passed the empty cells until he stopped in front of the one that held a man that he had never met before.

"Who are you?" He snapped, eyeing him with derision.

"Well now, that is just rude," Stiles chuckled leaning against the cells. "How are you doing Mr Lehey?"

"Who are you kid? What are you doing in here?" Mr Lehey asked.

"Who I am, well that has nothing to do with you. What I am doing here, well, I know who you are, I know what you have done, I know everything," Stiles smirked.

"What do you know?" Mr Lehey sneered at him.

"I know everything. The freezer, the abuse, the little boy that nearly drowned in your pool," Stiles watched as Mr Lehey paled dramatically at his words.

"What...how…"

"Ah the how isn't important here," Stiles watched amused as the vein in Lehey's head started pulsing. "The why is very different,"

"Don't play with me boy!" Lehey lunged at him, just as Stiles wanted.

All it took was his hand on Lehey's chest for the man to freeze, his eyes widened as he stared at Stiles with confusion and panic as he realised that he could not move.

"Perfect, thank you for cooperating," Stiles said politely.

"What...is...happening?" Lehey managed to say.

"I am casting a spell on you, don't worry I will be finished soon, you won't be physically harmed,"

"What…"

"A truth spell. You're going to admit to everything that you have done, every single thing. Including Matt, hopefully, the people who hurt him being punished and finally being able to speak about it will get him the help for that anger he's been holding onto," Stiles sighed.

"N...o," Mr Lehey's breathing got heavier with panic.

"Haven't you heard? The truth will set you free, well not literally in this case, of course, you're going to prison for quite a while," The Warlock shrugged cheerfully.

Mr Lehey stumbled back with a gasp, his hand going to the place Stiles had touched.

"Well then, have a good life!" Stiles waved.

"Hey! Come back here! Come back here!" Mr Lehey shouted after Stiles as he drifted back toward the door swinging his dad's lunch bag cheerfully.

He stopped by his dad's office to leave his lunch on his desk for him, before making his way back to the car park, trying not to show the drain that using so much magic had placed on him. His magic was there, and he was building it up, but it was so so so much weaker than he was used to.

When he stepped outside and saw Peter leaning against his jeep, his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised he realised he was in trouble.

"Get into the car," Peter frowned before climbing into the driver's side. Stiles would have argued about anyone else driving his jeep, but Peter did not look like a happy wolfy right now. He climbed into the passenger side and got settled into his seat, and prepared himself. "What were you thinking,"

"I had it under control," Stiles argued straight away.

"And the reason you didn't go in there with back up is?" Peter pushed.

"There was no need, I had everything under control," Stiles frowned.

"You don't know that for sure, anything could have happened," Peter pulled the jeep off the road and slammed on the brakes hard enough that Stiles grimaced, he then turned to Stiles with a furious glare on his face that took the Warlock aback.

"Peter…"

"No Stiles! It doesn't matter whether you're 100% sure that you have things under control, you do not confront anyone by yourself," Peter snapped.

"You're my Alpha, not my master!" Stiles snapped back. He squeaked embarrassingly when Peter's hand slammed into the car frame next to his head and he suddenly had a very angry Alpha inches away from his face, red eyes glowing brightly and a low growl filling the small space.

"The point of Pack is that someone is always watching your back, whether you think you need it or not. I know you're powerful Stiles, and I know you're only going to get more powerful, but that isn't the point," Peter snarled.

"What is the point?" Stiles asked softly, dropping back a little into his seat and tilting his chin up to reveal his neck, trying to use baser instincts to calm Peter down.

"I know what you're doing," Peter huffed but he nosed at the skin of Stiles' neck anyway, giving a small punishing nip to the flesh. "The point is, no matter how powerful you are, there is always the chance of the unexpected happening, and if it can take you by surprise it doesn't matter how powerful you are, you will still be dead,"

"Peter," Stiles breathed out, understanding colouring his voice. Peter nipped his throat again before pressing a kiss to it.

"What do you think would happen to me if something happened to you?" Peter breathed against his skin, his free hand coming up to stroke Stiles' side as the hand pressed against the car frame cupped the side of his neck.

"You have Pack, you have Derek, Lydia, Jackson…"

"Stiles," Peter shook his head. "Stiles if I lose you, I will lose it, you're my anchor, you're the glue of the Pack. I can't...I can't lose…"

"Shh I'm sorry, I will be more careful in the future, I promise," Stiles pressed kisses to the side of Peter's face.

"I notice you aren't promising not to do it again," Peter sighed after a few moments.

"We agreed, no lies. That's not a promise that I can keep," Stiles shrugged. "But I will be careful, I promise,"

"Stiles," Peter growled.

"Peter," Stiles grinned scattering kisses across his face.

"You're going to drive me mad aren't you?" Peter glared faintly at the Warlock.

"Definitely," Stiles laughed before kissing Peter properly. The Alpha resisted for a few moments before giving in with a groan and kissing him back.


Stiles yawned widely as he sat up and started pulling himself from Peter's arms. The Alpha grumbled lowly under his breath and yanked Stiles back against his chest, burying his face into his neck. Stiles chuckled as Peter applied sleepy kisses and nips to the flesh there until he was able to wriggle away and out of bed.

He was humming to himself as he pottered around the kitchen putting breakfast together for the household when his dad walked in.

"Morning pops, coffee is brewing and breakfast is nearly ready," Stiles said brightly.

"Thanks," The response was pensive and once he had poured himself a cup of coffee the Sheriff sat at the table and Stiles could feel his eyes burning into the back of his head.

"Everything ok?" Stiles eventually broke and asked as he placed a plate of toast onto the table.

"Fine," The Sheriff smiled, grabbing a slice of toast. "You know your mum used to say when it came down to it, we're just animals, as much as we all like to pretend to have a veneer of civility and call it humanity, when it comes down to it, we're still animals, with animal instincts. And one of the strongest animal instincts is the parental instinct,"

"Ok," Stiles said slowly wandering where this was going considering there were a hundred places that this could go.

"You're different, and not just in the way the trauma of that night would cause. You're like a different person, older and like you have been through more. What is going on?"

"Do you trust me?" Stiles asked softly sitting down opposite his dad.

"Of course I do, always," The Sheriff frowned.

"Than can you trust me when I say now is not the right time to have this discussion. I will tell you, I promise, but now isn't the right time. I want to get Kate's case out of the way first. And then I will tell you everything I promise," Stiles said seriously, allowing his mask to slip away and his father to see the weight of everything that he had seen and done to be reflected in his eyes.

"Ok, I will wait, just...you know that if you need me, if there is anything that you need, I am always always here for you," John said a little shakily, not sure what to do with this version of his son.

Stiles nodded and then stood to hug his dad. They were cuddly people, Claudia had always been and Stiles was the same, John hadn't really had much of a choice in the matter. But this was different, there was something different in his son's hug, and all he could do was hug back tightly.

Stiles bit his lip as he buried his face into his father's shoulder and breathed in his aftershave allowing it to comfort him. He realised that once he told his dad everything, things would change, his dad would realise that he had technically missed 16 years of Stiles' life, that his teenage son wasn't a teenager anymore and that he had again technically missed a good few of his firsts as an adult.

But it was better than the alternative of Stiles' world where John had been murdered in cold blood.

Stepping back Stiles could see the concern in his dad's eyes, but they just nodded at each other and then Stiles went back to cooking breakfast.

Five minutes later Derek stumbled into the kitchen yawning widely and scratching his stomach. Stiles had been seriously amused to realise that when they weren't in imminent danger and had the safety of a Pack, Derek was not a morning person.

He sat down heavily and then dropped his head forward onto the table with a heavy thunk. Stiles turned and poured him a cup of coffee, placing it directly in front of him so his nose would pick up the scent, patting him gently on the back before going back to cooking.

"So, Derek," John said nonchalantly as he turned the pages in his paper once Derek was looking a little more alive and with it.

"Mm?"

"Any plans for a job or anything?" John asked and Stiles narrowed his eyes knowing that tone of voice. It was the same tone his own voice took on when he was about to interfere.

"Erm, no not really. I haven't really found anything that I really want to do. I was thinking about going to college, but nothing really appealed to me. I was working in retail in New York but I didn't really enjoy it," Derek rambled before shooting Stiles a dirty look when he snorted in amusement.

"Hmm, tomorrow, make sure you're ready at 14:00 hours, I will be by to pick you up," John nodded to himself as he stood and put his paper away, accepting the thermos and Tupperware a cackling Stiles held out to him.

"Wha…." Derek blinked between them.

"You can do a few rounds with me and some of the deputies and see if you like the job. If you do I will get you into the program, if not then just tell me, but give it a go. See you boys tonight, say good morning to Peter for me," John said and walked out the house leaving Derek gawping at Stiles.

"Deputy Hale has a ring to it," Peter drawled amused as he walked into the kitchen. He caught Stiles around the waist and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips before heading to the table. Stiles grinned and quickly plated up their breakfast, dropping it in front of the two hungry werewolves before fetching a cup of coffee for Peter.

"I don't…" Derek frowned.

"I think you could be good at it," Stiles shrugged sitting down next to Peter with his own plate.

"Really?" Derek blushed slightly.

"I think so, you're good at figuring things out, the unusual as well you will have an insight into. Anything freaky that comes into town you and dad working together will be able to get ahead of it," Stiles hummed.

"I guess," Derek nodded.

"You have good instincts for things, and you always liked mysteries," Peter added when Stiles shoved him.

"And you know what it is like to be affected by crime, I think it would give you a good empathy while dealing with people," Stiles offered gently.

"Hmm," Derek went quiet and concentrated on his plate, but they could see that he was taking it seriously and thinking it over.


"Where is Derek?" Lydia asked as she sat down primly on the sofa and then thumped down her handbag onto the coffee table.

"He's out with dad seeing if the police force is a career for him," Stiles grinned.

"What's he thinking about it?" Lydia asked curiously, before rolling her eyes and yanking Jackson to sit down next to her as she got fed up of him hovering awkwardly.

"He actually seems to be enjoying it. I thought that he might, but then I wasn't sure that he wasn't just going along with it because he was scared of dad," Stiles snickered.

"Are you still calling him Deputy Derek?" Lydia smirked.

"Yes he is, I am sure he does it just to watch that vein in Derek's head start pulsing," Peter snorted. He placed the tray of coffees down onto the table before settling next to Stiles on the sofa.

When Stiles looked up from where he had pressed himself against Peter and gotten comfortable he found both Lydia and Jackson watching them with different expressions on their faces.

This time around Lydia seemed to have managed to forgive Peter a lot quicker, well she had managed to forgive him would be the right way of phrasing it. This time he hadn't driven her mad to bring himself back, this time he was a lot easier to forgive sitting here looking calm and not like he was about to turn around a rip all their throats out at a seconds notice.

"Hmm?" Stiles blinked when he realised that the other three of them were looking at him.

"I asked what we were doing today considering this was your plan," Peter snorted.

"Oh yes! Bad werewolf movies, Derek will be back in a few hours and can join in," Stiles threw his legs over Peter's and grabbed the remote as the Alpha let out a low groan.

"No Stiles…"

"Yes!" Stiles grinned. "It is educational,"

"How is it educational, it's all pretty much wrong!" Peter grumbled as Stiles turned Netflix on.

"Because you can correct us as we go along," Stiles grinned.

"Stiles," Peter whined dropping his head back.

"There there I will make it worth your while," Stiles patted Peter's thigh.

"I could have lived my whole life without hearing about your sex life Stilinski," Jackson grumbled.

"I wasn't talking about sex, I was talking about cooking supper for him, we know where your mind is at though! Do you think about my sex life often Jackson?" Stiles smirked.

"I…"

"I always told you your mind was in the gutter, even when we were five!" Stiles grinned.

"Five?" Lydia and Peter asked confused.

"Jackson and I were BFF's from when we were one till six," Stiles grinned evilly as Jackson groaned and covered his face. "Jax followed me everywhere like a little puppy,"

"Stiles!" Jackson groaned.

"He cried for 4 hours straight one time when his mum took him home early. He would also always give my any of his peanut butter snacks because I liked them so much,"

"WHAT!?" Lydia shrieked.

"What happened?" Peter asked looking between Jackson who was actually bright red and Stiles who was smirking evilly.

"I made friends with Scott and Jackson threw a major tantrum because I wasn't allowed any other friends, I fell out with him when he took off the head of my Yoda action figure because I had said hello to Scott before him that day,"

"That is why you have been arguing and picking on them for years?" Lydia asked Jackson incredulously.

"I was his friend first," Jackson muttered. "He should have said hello to me first!"

"I saw Scott first! I didn't see you standing there!"

"You should have looked for me!"

"I was literally saying hello to Scott and then I was going to look for you!"

"I was your friend first!"

"Oh dear lord!" Lydia looked between them with a faint expression of horror. "This whole time this is what it has been about!"

"I was his friend first,"

"I loved that Yoda,"

"Seriously?" Peter rolled his eyes.


They were in the middle of watching Bitten when the doorbell went. Peter narrowed his eyes at the front door as his nostrils flared and then his eyes turned red.

"It's Scott," He growled slightly.

"That bad huh?" Lydia sighed.

"Yes," Stiles grumbled before placing the bowl of popcorn down onto the coffee table from his lap and taking his legs from over Peter's.

"I could always deal with him?" Peter offered, flashing his eyes again.

"Thank you, but no. Let's see what he has to say," Stiles dipped down to kiss Peter sweetly for a second before making his way to the front door.

"I need to talk to you," Scott said as soon as the door was open, before Stiles could even say anything.

"Clearly, come in," Stiles waved him forward. He chose to be a little petty and didn't warn Scott that Peter, Lydia and Jackson were here, and took a little delight, ok a fair bit of delight, in watching Scott's shoulders tense as soon as he stormed into the living room.

"Why are you here?" Scott frowned at them.

"We're watching films," Jackson smirked, pointedly getting more comfortable on the sofa.

"Why?" Scott frowned even deeper as Stiles strolled passed him and leant against the back of the sofa.

"Because we're a Pack," Peter answered calmly, eyeing his beta with more than a little disdain.

"Pack? Stiles, you can't be Pack with him! You're not a werewolf," Scott frowned.

"You don't have to be a werewolf to be Pack Scott," Stiles sighed.

"So what, you're suddenly determined that you are from the future, that you're Pack with Peter, Lydia and Jackson, and you expect me to believe that Peter hasn't done something to you?" Scott scowled.

"Is that the story is difficult to believe, or that it is difficult to believe that I not just simple, human, weak Stiles?" Stiles asked softly.

"I went to speak to Deaton about this. He says that Mother Magic has only shown herself a few times to people, and only to her very favourite children," Scott glared.

"Oh wow, what a shock you believe your yoda, cryptic, riddle talking boss, who by the way dude screams suspicious, over your best friend," Stiles rolled his eyes. "And secondly, ouch dude, what is it that hard to believe that I might actually be fucking good at something and be favoured, or does it always have to be about you?"

Stiles ignored Jackson's hissed "burn" in the background, and the sound of Lydia's hand connecting with his arm, and instead stared unfalteringly at Scott who had blanched.

"I…"

"Also what gave you the right to be passing information I told you in trust to someone else? Someone, you barely know?" Stiles narrowed his eyes.

"I have known Deaton for years! I work with him side by side 5 days a week!" Scott protested.

"And were you aware that he was an emissary? That he was specifically the Hales emissary?" Stiles rested his hand on Peter's shoulder and squeezed gently before he carried on speaking. "That he was in love with Talia? Were you aware that he has been monitoring everything in Beacon Hills since the fire? That he knew Kate was the one to set it and didn't report her? That he should have gone with Laura and Derek to protect them, it was his duty and he didn't do it, that at the very least he could have gone to Peter and helped along his healing, and he didn't? That type of man, I have no time for," Stiles sneered.

"You're blaming him…"

"I am blaming him for nothing, I am finding him at fault for everything that he has done since that fire, and before it," Stiles snapped.

"I…"

"Enough," Peter growled standing up. He pulled Stiles gently behind him, and the next thing the time traveller knew Lydia and Jackson were standing either side of him, Lydia's hand sliding into his own, Jackson's hand gripping his shoulder. And they both could feel the trembling in Stiles' body, and realised what Peter's hearing had picked up, Stiles was exceedingly distressed by this argument.

"You don't…."

"Leave!" Peter roared, throwing all the Alpha that he had into his voice.

"S...s...see Stiles, he is exactly the same, using his powers to get me to do what he wants," Scott stammered even as he staggered back a few steps.

"I am protecting my Pack, as I always will do, and as I will do anything to make sure I achieve,"

"I wouldn't hurt Stiles," Scott glared.

"There are other ways to hurt someone other than physically idiot!" Jackson huffed.

"What?" Scott blinked.

"Hear that sound?" Peter asked sibilantly.

"Peter," Stiles protested.

"What sound?" Scott frowned confused.

"That thundering sound, the sound of your best friend's heart beat?"

"Yes,"

"That is the sound of distress, a lot of distress going by how hard his heart is beating," Peter narrowed his eyes even further on Scott as he took another step back.

"No," Scott refuted.

"That bitter smell on the air?" Peter carried on.

"Peter!" Stiles tried but he found himself pulled further back, behind Lydia and Jackson this time.

"That smell is hurt Scott, guess who it coming from?" The question was rhetorical considering three out of the four in the room were glaring at him.

"I think it is time you leave," Lydia told Scott sharply.

"I am not, I, Stiles is my friend! Only he can say whether or not I should leave!"

"I want you to leave Scott," Stiles breathed out.

"There we go, now leave!" Peter growled again.

"Stiles…"

"Go Scott, and when you can actually talk to me properaly about this and not just come here to tell me I am wrong, don't come back," Stiles turned and went into the kitchen.

"Stiles,"

"You have been asked to leave, unless you do in the next five seconds, I will call the Sheriff," Derek growled from behind Scott where he had snuck into the house.

Stiles heard a little bit of a disturbance, but then arms were being wound around his waist and he was being pulled back against a firm chest.

"Are you ok?" Peter asked cautiously.

"Not really," Stiles sighed.

"Are you angry at me?" Peter asked hesitantly.

"What? No," Stiles turned to look at him. The Alpha allowed him to turn in his arms, but did not release his grip on him.

"You didn't want me to reveal how hurt you were to Scott, but I did anyway. He needed to know how much he was hurting you, he needed to know that his words and actions hurt you, I couldn't smell your pain and hear your distress and not do something about it," Peter was apologising without apologising Stiles realised.

He smiled softly and wrapped his arms around Peter's neck and drew him down into a kiss.

"Thank you, for looking after me," Stiles smiled. "Come on,"

They walked back into the living room and he was faced with concerned looks from Lydia and Derek and a nonchalant look from Jackson, who stared at him intently.

"I was thinking that we could get pizza," Lydia said after a few beats of silence.

"Pizza sounds really good to me," Stiles nodded.

"I am thinking meat feast," Peter dropped onto the sofa and pulled Stiles down onto his lap.

"Seconded," Lydia nodded and then grinned when Peter and Derek looked at her surprised. "What, not very 'girly' of me?"

"I well no that isn't what we I mean…" Derek flustered until Lydia took pity and started laughing.

"I will order the pizza, how many should I order?" Jackson asked.

"6, werewolves eat a lot of pizza," Stiles instructed.

"Can I ask something?" Lydia asked with a tone that said she expected an answer. That tone made Stiles smile softly, he had missed that.

"Go ahead," Peter nodded as Jackson started putting in the order.

"When Stiles really started getting upset and you went all...Alpha on Scott, I felt something, a pull, I had to get up to comfort Stiles as well," Lydia frowned a little. "I mean I wanted to comfort him, but this was like a HAD to,"

"It's a Pack bond, the bond is forming between all of us, when Pack is hurt or upset, the others feel it, and physical comfort helps to ease physical and emotional hurt," Stiles was the one to explain.

"Pack bonds?" Jackson asked as he hung up the phone.

"Yes, we're Pack, all of us here in this room," Peter nodded.

"Oh," Jackson blinked. "I thought…"

"You thought that we were blowing smoke?" Stiles grinned.

"Yeah pretty much," Jackson nodded.

"Trust me, you can form a Pack bond without being a werewolf, and you will need that Pack bond for when you get the bite. What happened last time wasn't pretty, and I don't want you to go through that again," Stiles said gently.

"Alright. Let's give this Pack thing a go," Jackson nodded.

"We already are idiot," Stiles teased gently.

"Hey, Stiles?"

"Yes, Jackson?" Stiles grinned.

"I am sorry about your Yoda,"

There was silence and then laughter filled the room.

"Yoda?" Derek asked confused only causing more laughter.


"Hey everyone," The Sheriff blinked as he walked into the livingroom and found the group there. Lydia and Jackson were curled up under a blanket on one sofa, Stiles was sitting in between Derek and Peter on the other, his legs over Peter's and his back resting against Derek's side.

There was a film just starting on the TV and the smell of warm pizza filled the room.

"Hey pops," Stiles grinned.

"Hi Sheriff," Jackson waved.

"Jackson, it has been a while," The Sheriff nodded surprised, dropping down into his armchair with a happy groan.

"He apologised for Yoda," Stiles explained.

"That's good to hear," The Sheriff snorted before eying the pizza. "What's on?"

"It's that werewolf film with Michael J Fox you like," Stiles said, leaning over to nudge the pizza box to his dad.

"What's the trick?" The Sheriff narrowed his eyes at his son.

"You're allowed treats every now and then, every now and then though! Don't think I am going soft," Stiles warned waving his finger at his dad.

"I wouldn't be that stupid," The Sheriff snorted grabbing a slice. "Whatever the cost I will take it,"

"There is no cost!" Stiles protested.

"So worth it," The Sheriff groaned around the massive bite he took, gaining laughter from the others in the room.

"Drink Sheriff?" Peter asked gently moving Stiles' legs onto the sofa and standing.

"Beer please, might as well make it lasts before he puts me on salads and water for a month," John grinned.

"There is no catch!" Stiles protested.

"Anyone else?" Peter asked as Stiles slumped back against Derek and accepted the sympathetic pat on the head he received from the younger Hale.

"Coke please," Jackson requested.

"Water for me please," Lydia asked.

"Coke as well please," Stiles smiled up at him.

"Coke for me too," Derek yawned getting comfortable.

An hour later Stiles looked around the room with a soft smile on his face. Lydia and his dad were arguing quietly about the best part of the film - Lydia was apparently a big fan of it as well - Jackson had his head dropped back onto the arm of the sofa, his legs now over Lydia's and was snoring softly, with a small trail of drool trickling out his mouth.

Peter and Derek were both enthralled in the film and were watching it intently, with snorts and snickers coming from the both of them randomly at the 'werewolf' parts, Stiles had thought that they were going to wet themselves at the first transformation.

He had Pack and family around him, alive and happy, the sounds of laughter and chatter, of life, filling his senses. It soothed the wounds that he had carried back with him, wounds he knew would never fully heal, but they could scar over, given enough time. Given enough of this.

Peter's thumb suddenly found his bare ankle under the blanket Stiles had thrown over his legs half an hour ago. He didn't take his eyes off of the film, but he had clearly sensed Stiles' mood. Stiles closed his eyes and dropped his back against Derek's shoulder, absorbing the atmosphere into his soul.


"Whosit?" Peter mumbled sitting up and blinking around blearily as Stiles' hand flopped around like a dead fish on the bedside table trying to find his ringing phone without opening his eyes.

"Lo?" He muttered huskily into the phone still not opening his eyes.

"Whozit?" Peter repeated seeing Stiles sit up with a jerk.

"What? Where? Yes, no, no, that is brilliant, yes, yes, we will be there tomorrow. Thank you," Stiles said before hanging up and turning to Peter with a wide grin.

"What?" Peter asked confused.

"That was Satomi, she found Braeden. She will be with Satomi tomorrow. We will have our meeting with her and then speak to Braeden," Stiles grinned. "She will find Cora within a month I am sure!"

"You're amazing, have I told you that?" Peter said after kissing Stiles hard and long enough that the Warlock's lips were swollen and red.

"Not yet, but it was implied," Stiles licked his lips absently.

"Well, you really, truly are," Peter sighed happily dropping down onto the bed again and held his arms out. Stiles gently dropped down on top of his chest, snuggling his nose into Peter's neck, scenting him.

Peter gently ran his hand up and down Stiles' back, soothing him back to sleep. As he held the young powerhouse close he marvelled over the turn of events, apparently the massive turn of events from what they had originally been. His future was looking bright and good, and all thanks to this amazing man in his arms.